Mystery in London
by EL Grand Loco 82
Summary: Peter has been banished as Wendy's kiss is making him grow up and having a neg. effect on Neverland and is now trying to find a way back, but when one of the lost boys is framed for murder, he reunites with Wendy to help his former friend.
1. Chapter 1

Mystery in London

I do not own Peter Pan or any related characters

A Peter/Wendy fic that takes place in London, Peter is in London as he has been banished from Neverland as a result of Wendy's kiss which is making him grow up. It also involves a little mystery as one of the lost boys gets framed for a crime they didn't commit, and Peter relucantly helps Wendy to clear his name, and discover that while London may not be Neverland, maybe its not as bad as he thinks it is. Reviews welcome

Note: Not abandoning my other stories, I just got this one in my head right now, and I'm probably gonna revise my other ones which I'm writing since I'm not really happy with how they are turning out thus far.

Chapter 1

He was suppose to be the boy who never grew up, the eternal child, where did it all go wrong, well it happened because of a girl named Wendy, Wendy Moria Angela Darling. It was because of her that he got banished from his precious Neverland, not forever, he hoped it wasn't forever, but the fairy council told him that his uncontrollable emotions were causing much unrest on the island. He was told he had to decide once and for all where he really wanted to be and after the time he was having in London all he wanted to be was back home.

"Hey Peter its your turn lad" a follow boy wearing a wool cap and rags told him, Peter looked at the boy then stretched his head side to side.

"You want any weapons" the boy asked him, pointing to a collection of brawling weapons including chains, switchblades and brass knuckles

"No thanks" Peter said as he stepped out to walk into the underground arena where a bunch of people, many of them boys but some of them also men were all shouting and making bets

Another boy who happened to be bigger and much more meaner then him looked right at him and smiled

"I'm going to have fun with you punk" the boy said as he twirled two chains and wrapped them around his fists

"You are so going to get it"

"I've heard that before" Peter said cracking a smile

The boy charged at him taking two swings both which Peter managed to dodge with ease, as he went in for yet another punch, Peter responded by kicking him right in the stomach. The boy tried backhanding Peter, but Peter ducked under his fists and then did an uppercut right into the boys face which sent him flying backwards.

"Had enough?" Peter asked

"Not even close" the boy screamed getting up again trying to take two more swings at Peter who this time dodged him by doing two backwards cartwheels, though this resulted in Peter being backed up against the wall, the boy smiled thinking he had Peter cornered, when he tried to strike Peter did flipped right over him, before he could turn around Peter had started kicking and punching him till he was finally down for the count.

"The winner is Peter Pan" said the boy in the wool cap who had been bought Peter out to the rig in the first place

All the boys cheered and Peter couldn't help be crack a little smile, it reminded him of the old days when the Lost Boys use to cheer him on and while fighting in an underground arena wasn't much, it was the closet thing he could get to the old days of fighting pirates and Indians.

Wendy sat in her room staring out the window, she so wanted Peter to come back and visit but he had never come she started to fear that maybe Peter had really forgotten about her. If only he had come back with her, if only had just given growing up a chance, maybe she tried to push him just a little to hard, but when she kissed him she knew that he was capable of everything that both Hook and even herself had thought him incapable of.

She had hoped that maybe if he came back that those feelings would get stronger, that maybe he would one day tell everyone that he was staying, how all the boys would love for Peter to stay, how she would love him to stay to show him there was nothing wrong with growing up.

"Wendy time for bed" Mary told her walking into her now private room "You have school in the mourning"

"Yes mother I know" Wendy responded

Mary looked up at the opened window, "still waiting for that boy?" she asked

Wendy nodded "I keep hoping he might come back, but I fear he has forgotten me" Wendy said sadly

"As much as you want to save everyone Wendy" Mary told her "you can not save someone who isn't willing to save themselves"

"But mother" Wendy said

"I know Wendy, I can see how you feel about him, first love is never easy, but eventually you will move on, just like everyone else"

Wendy nodded solemnly at her mother, Mary gave her a reassuring smile "come now dear, it is time for bed" Wendy crawled into bed and Mary turned the lights off for her

Down from the street Peter looked up and saw the lights turning off, he would have flown to the window if he could still fly but he no longer had any pixie dust or happy thoughts, he felt like he was truly lost. He slowly started to head in the direction of the place where he would always go to think, to the one place in London that still felt like home, Kensington Gardens.

To Be Contiuned


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Peter sat in Kensington Gardens like he had done so many times before he left for Neverland, he spent time thinking about his life, this wasn't something that he really had to do before having been perfectly content where he was, or at least that's what he always convinced himself of anyway.

When it came to Peter well no one really knew him, he never allowed anyone to know him, not the real him, only Queen Maim and his old friend Solomon the Crow knew who Peter Pan really was, they had been there from the beginning, back when Peter was just a little baby who wanted nothing more then to have fun and didn't want the life of an adult. And when he ran away and was found by the fairies had so much fun, he played, he danced, he even conducted the fairy dances with his flute.

Then the day came when asked for a gift he wished he hadn't asked for, the gift that sealed his fate in more ways then one, the gift of heart. He was only a small boy, he wasn't suppose to feel anything, but he wanted to, he was curious and after doing so much for the fairy queen she gave him his wish, a wish that made him think about his mother, made him think about what he had done to her by leaving, a wish that made him miss her and love her, a wish that made him want to go home.

Peter smirked to himself after thinking some more, he remembered when he told Maim he wanted to go home, she wasn't happy none of the magical creatures in the gardens were, they all had grown quite fond of Peter and Peter had grown quite fond of them but he believed it was the right thing to do.

"If you wish it" Queen Maim told him

"If you wish it" Peter said to himself the very words Maim told him when he asked to go home, the very words he repeated to Wendy when she declared she wanted to go home, and the lost boys when they said they wanted to go with her.

He wasn't going to stop them, he didn't want anyone in Neverland who no longer wanted to be there, so long as someone was fun they could stay, that is all Peter wanted, to have fun, and Wendy was getting everything she wanted, she couldn't just leave it at that and go in peace, no

"if you say so, but I think its your greatest pretend"

when he first heard it, it made him sad, it reminded him of his past and how he felt like he was being abandon all over again, but now it just made him angry, who did she think she was, she didn't know him or anything about him, who was she to say what was a pretend or what wasn't, she didn't know what he had been through, and unlike him she got her second chance. And then Hook only made it worse, throwing it in his face that he was going to be forgotten by her just like he had been by his mother, why did he have to let it all get to him, why couldn't it have just all rolled off him like nothing, like he always acted like it did.

And then she kissed him, he had learned since he had been back that it was not called a thimble, if she had just left he would have been sad but he would have just forgotten her with time, just like he forgot others, but she had to kiss him. She made his heart go wild, she made him feel love again, she made him start to wonder was there more, she made him start to wonder was there still something out there for him even if he had lost his mother.

Peter wished that Solomon was here, he always use to give him great advice, he really could have used Solomon's help in Neverland, especially in regards to Wendy, but Solomon had long since passed on, so had his mother and the little boy who replaced him, the brother he never knew. Just then the sound of thunder and lighting could be heard and rain slowly started coming down, Peter quickly made his way back to the slums which for now were pretty much his home.

Mary watched the rain come down and she then started coughing very loudly, George starting comforting her as best he could

"I'll find a way to get the money to cover all your medical bills" George said "if only we hadn't taken in all those other boys we would still have plenty of money left"

"Don't you say such a thing" Mary said "you love those boys just like they were your own sons"

"Yes I do, I love all the children in this household, but I also love my wife" George said

"You are going to do fine" Mary said "with or without me you are going to do fine"

"Are you going to tell the children?" Mary then asked

"Well first I want to tell Wendy before I tell the others, she is the oldest and if anyone is going to keep things together after you are gone its going to be her"

Little did George and Mary know Tootles, Curly and Nibs were listening in on there conversation, they couldn't sleep due to the rain and they decided that with everyone else asleep maybe they could go to the kitchen and make themselves a snack.

"what do you suppose is wrong with mother?" Curly asked

"I don't know, but it does not sound good" Nibs said

"We have to do something to help, we have to tell Wendy" Tootles said

"But father said that he would tell her and we don't want to make him mad"

"But we cannot do nothing, father said we need money for mother's medical bills so all we have to do is find a way to get that money"

"what money?" came a whisper from behind them, they all turned around to see Wendy standing behind them

To Be Contiuned


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Oh its nothing Wendy, we were just discussing how we could get more pocket money so we could buy some more candy" Curly said

"Yes some more candy would be very nice" Tootles added, "this way I wouldn't have to sneak into the kitchen every time I want a midnight snack."

Wendy looked at the three boys suspiciously, "is that all you have been doing?" Wendy asked

"Yes Promise" they all said at once

"I don't know, I have this feeling that you three are up to something"

"What are you now, Peter?" Nibs said, Peter always use to catch on rather quickly when they all use to be scheming

"Why would compare me to Peter?" Wendy asked

"He use to interrogate us the same way" Tootles said

"well I am not interrogating you, you three are my brothers and I am merely concerned is all, now we all have school tomorrow, so I think its best that we all head to bed at once"

The three boys all headed up to the nursery while Wendy went up to her room, she never thought a day would come where there would still be a comparison between her and Peter Pan, then again the lost boys were a rather charming bunch despite Peter's flaws he really did not do that badly with them, Wendy had to at least give him that if anything.

The next day nibs, tootles and curly all meet with follow friend and lost boy Slightly who had been adopted by George's sister Millicent, they all sat together in the school lunch cafeteria and they told Slightly about what was going on with Mary

"We have to help her" Tootles "she is the only mother we have and we do not want to lose her"

"Well the only way I know to make money is to have a job or to steal it" Slightly said

"Well we do not have time for jobs since we are always in school" Tootles said

"And mother and father would quite unhappy if we stole money" Curly added

"well you know, I think I heard some chaps talking about some ways to get money on the other sides of town" Slightly said

"how?" Nibs asked

"Well the stuff that goes on is suppose to be of a rather dreadful and of a questionable nature" Slightly said "but I hear that maybe you can make a lot of money, I do not know much on the subject, but I have a friend who I think does"

Later on after school Slightly met with Tootles, Curly and Nibs again, Slightly had asked his friend if there was anyway that they could get money on the other sides of town

"Well there is suppose to be a place where you might be able to win some money" Slightly said "It is over on Halsey Street"

"But isn't that a poor neighborhood?" Tootles asked

"Yep but they have some kind of underground fight club, a fight club for boys like us, or at least that is what he has heard, and these boy are poor boys, boys who do not have parents, so many of them fight in order to make money"

"That sounds very dreadful" said Curly

"well there shouldn't be any harm in checking it out" Slightly said "what do you say we all meet tomorrow after school and see what we can found out about it"

later that night after Mary had tucked in all the boys, Tootles had once again made an attempt to sneak downstairs for a midnight snack, he then caught a glimpse of George speaking with Wendy, he saw that were tears welling up in her eyes and she put her hand up to her mouth, she then tightly hugged her father, Tootles felt completely terrible for her and for himself, he then sneaked back upstairs and quietly woke up Nibs

"we have to help mother" Tootles said "we have to help her now"

the next day the four boys went down to Halsey street, Slightly's friend had given them directions to the place where they were holding the underground fighting, or at least where he thought it was being held, when they knocked on the door, a lid at the bottom slid open and two small eyes were peering out, he also told them not to wear there school uniforms or anything that looked the least bit fancy

"who are you four?"

"we are interested in fighting" Tootles said

"you know the password?"

"um, well" Tootles said

"I believe the password is crack a skull" Slightly said

just then the lid shut and the door opened and a boy just a little older then them motioned for them to come inside, Nibs whispered to Slightly, "how did you know that?"

"my friend told me and he also told me not to ask how it is he knew what it was" Slightly replied

"names boots" the boy said introducing himself "you guys want to place some bets, or are you just here to watch?"

"Actually we were more interested in fighting" Tootles said

Boots looked them all over, "you guys are all far to young, well except for you maybe" Boots said looking at Slightly

"How old do you have to be?" Curly asked

"At least 13" Boots replied "well you at least have to look that old, almost half the guys don't even know how old they really are"

"Well I happen to be 13" Slightly said "so I can fight in your ring can't I?"

"And he can make money" Tootles added

"You guys want money?" Boots asked

"Well we heard this was a way to make some fast money" Nibs said

"In order to make money you got to have someone sponsor you in the fight, namely someone has to be willing to bet on you and if you win you get a cut of there winnings"

"You can bet on me" Slightly said "I can fight quite well"

"Really" Boots said looking him over

"can you introduce me to someone who will bet on me?"

"follow me" Boots said motioning to Slightly "and just you" he said looking at the other three

"Its all right lads" Slightly said then he was lead up to an upstairs office

"Hey Mr. Weasel" Boots said opening up an office door where there was an older gentlemen sitting at a desk

"What do you want?" Weasel asked

"This kid here wants to fight and he wants sponsorship so he can make some money off of it"

"How old are you son?" Weasel asked looking at Slightly

"13 sir" Slightly said

"Such good manners, you from around here?" Weasel asked

"I'm from the other side of town" Slightly answered

"Which side of town?" Weasel asked

"The holler back slums" Slightly said remembering the slum that his friend had told him about

"tough neighborhood" Weasel said looking impressed

"so long as he ain't saying second star to the right and straight on till mourning" boots said quietly to himself and laughing in the process

"I'm sorry" Slightly asked "did you just say?"

"never mind what he said" Weasel said "you want to fight we'll give you a try out tonight, if you win, I'll consider you for sponsorship, and remember winning is anything but easy, but being from the holler back slums you should know that all to well"

Slightly came down from Weasel's office where the others were waiting for him

"well?" Nibs asked

"I got a tryout tonight" Slightly said "if I win, then I can start winning some money"

"So it looks like you are spending the night at our house" Nibs said

"You really think that kid was from the holler back slums?" Boots asked

"No" said Weasel "no one from that part of London looks anywhere near as good as that kid does, but I think we can have some fun with him and who knows maybe he'll prove himself like that Pan did"

"That kid spooks me" Boots said

"Who cares" Weasel said "that kid can fight, and he's taken on some of our best and as long as he does that I don't care which land he says he's from"

"You want to put him against this one, should he show up tonight?"

"No I got someone else in mind for our want to be poor boy" Weasel said

To Be Contiuned


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Wendy sat by her mother's bedside and held her hand as tightly as she could

"don't be afraid Wendy" Mary told her "everything is going to be all right, I promise"

"I don't want to lose you, I'm not ready to lose you" Wendy told her mother with tears welling in her eyes

"Remember what I told you about being brave Wendy, well right now you need to be brave, for the boys and for your father"

Wendy nodded, "are we going to tell them?" Wendy asked

"of course we will when the time is right, I'm not going anywhere yet"

Wendy couldn't believe what was happening, she wanted to grow up but it looked liked she was about to be forced to grow up a lot faster then she initially thought that she did, after everything that had happened the last thing she ever wanted was to lose someone else that she loved

"Wendy" said Nibs

"yes" Wendy said wiping tears from her eyes

"father told me to tell you that I was going to be spending the night with Slightly so you don't need to set a place for me during dinner tonight"

"all right Nibs" Wendy said "thank you for telling me"

just then there was a knock on the door and George opened it to let Slightly in

"good evening Slightly" George said

"hello Mr. Darling" Slightly said back "is Nibs ready yet?"

"right here" Nibs said

"great lets get going" Slightly said

"see you boys in the mourning" George said

Instead of heading to Slightly's house the two headed to Halsey street, Slightly knocked on the door and Boots once again answered

"Your early" Boots said "you can head in back and get ready, and you" he said looking at Nibs "you can enjoy the fights"

A group of boys spent there time huddled around a fire, one of them a boy by the name of Rodney, but everyone called him Crutch, mostly due to the fact that he walked around with a cane due to a very bad leg that he was born with and later made worse when a group of boys jumped him for his money in an alleyway, luckily he had been helped by a very new face on the block, though Crutch hadn't seen much of him since he figured he might have been the one they were talking about fighting in the ring, the kid who supposedly talked with a very strange, what everyone called rather otherworldly accent, no one knew much about him where he was from, why he was here, he didn't speak to anyone, Crutch always said that if met him again he would pretty stick by his side, now he was to get his chance

"Hey you" Crutch said as he saw Peter walking by, Peter turned around and gave him a rather strange look

"What?" Peter simply asked

"Wow you do talk strange" Crutch said

Peter simply shook his head and then started on his way again, "wait, didn't mean to offend you mate, my name's Rodney, but everyone calls me Crutch, mostly because I got this here crutch on my leg"

"Isn't that a cane?" Peter asked

"Yeah and its my crutch"

Peter simply rolled his eyes and shook his head, "so what can I do for you?"

"Well I was hoping you might need someone to help you out, you know like a partner"

"No Thanks" Peter said

"Oh come on, I owe you, you did help me out"

"I did?"

"Yeah when those guys jumped me, you got them off me and you kept me from getting robbed"

"If you say so"

"I know so, I remember your face"

"And how do you think you can help me?" Peter asked

"Believe me you may be a good fighter, but trust me when I tell you it is always good to have safety in numbers, not to mention whatever you might need I'm sure I can help you out with"

"I'll think about it" Peter said then he started heading in the direction of where the fights were being held

"You going to fight?" Crutch asked

"Just going to watch" Peter said

Crutch as fast as he could started following Peter, and did surprisingly well considering how fast Peter was, but being raised on Halsey Street you learn how to be very fast when you have to be

Nibs was sitting inside in the basement where the underground fighting was being held, they held it in the basement so as not to draw to much attention, as he watched the fight he himself started to be reminded of his days in Neverland, his days battling Pirates and Indians and how bloody things tended to get, of course Nibs as well as the rest of the lost boys all gave that up so that they could have a mother, but it was funny how even some parts of the real world were exactly like Neverland, Nibs couldn't help but think that maybe they all including Peter would have fit right in a setting like this, it might have been more fun, brawling other boys and the thrill of not getting caught by the police if there was anything that Peter loved it was a thrill, just then as he turned around he noticed that there were two boys arguing and one them happened to be Boots, who found himself getting suckered punched in the face, the boy who punched him headed to what looked liked a back door while Boots got up and disappeared into the cheering crowd

For some reason call it curiosity that comes with still being a boy himself Nibs started following the boy who had punched Boots, he wondered what was going on and maybe the lost boy inside him was telling him this might be the chance for an adventure it wasn't like he had many since he left Neverland

Peter knocked on the door to the club, the lid slid open but before Peter could even say the password, the door just opened

"well if isn't our favorite circus boy" Boots said

"What?" Peter asked

"you do know what a circus is don't you?" Boots asked

"No" Peter said simply

"right because all those little acrobatic moves of yours just came out of no where" Boots then looked at Crutch

"friend of yours?"

"I suppose" Peter said

"well you boys coming in or what?" Boots asked

meanwhile in a back room Slightly was throwing some random punches in the air, it had been a long time since he had to fight anybody, the last time was when him and everyone else were battling Hook and his crew abroad the Jolly Roger, boots then finally walked in

"Its time" Boots said

"I'm ready" Slightly said

"I hope so, would you like yourself a weapon"

"Is this a fight to the death?" Slightly asked

"No but it's about causing as much pain to your opponent as you can, so you want a weapon or not?"

"I think I'll take this" Slightly said picking up a bat "good call" Boots said, he then led Slightly out to the center of the basement

"tonight we have a new challenger" Boots said "a boy who calls himself Slightly because he is Slightly mad"

"and taking on this new challenger is the maddest fighter we have, our very own mad dog, called that because he fights like a very mad and angry pit bull"

a boy twice Slightly's size came and faced him and then literally started barking, Slightly looked at him in shock, he had seen some crazy things in Neverland, but not even he had seen a boy like this, he didn't even think any members of Hook's crew were nearly this bad

Mad Dog then pulled out his chains and once again started wrapping them around his hands, "looks like I'm going to have fun with you" he said giving Slightly a very wicked smile, one that not neither Peter or Wendy could match, he then took his swings at Slightly but Slightly quickly ducked under him and twirled his bat in his hand as soon as the large boy left himself open Slightly struck him right in his side

"not bad" Boots thought to himself, "this one might be worth something to"

Slightly then went to take another strike at Mad Dog who then grabbed his bat and pretty much made Slightly lose all balance with it, Slightly let go and hit the ground, Mad Dog then picked him up and with one punch struck right him in the stomach with his fists still wrapped in chains, Slightly hit the ground and started coughing up a bit of blood but he got up and wiped his mouth, Mad Dog took another swing at him but Slightly ducked and started hitting him in his ribs, he managed to cause a bit of damage to him but not nearly enough as Mad Dog managed to have the strength to pretty much charge at Slightly and ram him right onto the ground he then took several shoots at Slightly's ribs

Peter who had been sitting in on the staircase next to Crutch finally got up to look at what was going on, he knew Mad Dog all to well, Peter had just beaten him the other night, he couldn't see the other fighter's face at first but when Mad Dog pinned him down to the ground, Peter recognized his former 2nd in command

"Slightly" Peter said with a shock, what was he doing here and why was he fighting, he got to have a mother, he had no reason to be coming here and Mad Dog showed no intention of stopping what he was doing, with those chains wrapped around his knuckles if someone didn't do something fast Slightly might not live to see tomorrow, though Peter felt that he didn't owe Slightly or any of his former Lost Boys anything at all he wasn't about to let Slightly get killed by a big idiot like Mad Dog, just like he wasn't about to let Wendy walk the plank even after she called him Un-gallant and Deficient and then took all his boys away from him, Peter then rushed into the center and pulled Mad Dog right off of Slightly

"Enough!" Peter screamed "he's down, now leave him alone!"

"Stay out of this Pan" Mad Dog growled at him

"Back off Mad Dog, I won't ask you again" just then Boots entered into the ring

"He's right enough is enough, we don't want any dead bodies here, draws to much attention"

Slightly looked up in shock for Peter had just saved his life, he couldn't believe that Peter was actually here, Peter turned to Slightly and bent down helping Slightly get to his feet, "come on" Peter said

"Peter?" Slightly asked

"Yeah its me" Peter responded, Crutch motioned to the back door and the three walked out, Peter put Slightly down as soon as they were in the back alleyway, Slightly looked up at him

"What are you doing here?" he asked him

"What are you doing here?" Peter asked back "last time I checked you got yourself a mother"

"I needed money" Slightly said

"Why do you need money?" Peter asked

"Its not for me its for Wendy and the others, for their mother"

"And you decided to get it by showing how off your game you are, I thought I taught you better then this?"

"Well I haven't had to fight in a long time" Slightly said, just then he remembered that he had bought Nibs with him

"Nibs" Slightly said

"Nibs, he's here to?" Peter asked

"I bought him here with me, I don't know where he is"

"Hey" Crutch said "someone is getting arrested"

The three boys went over to take a look and they saw Nibs being thrown in the back of a police patty wagon, "Nibs" Slightly called out, Peter simply held him back

"Come on Slightly, you can't help him, even I know that"

"From what I hear" Crutch said "it looks like your friend killed someone, stabbed him"

"You can get Nibs out of jail" Slightly told him

"I could if I could still fly" Peter told him silently making sure that Crutch didn't hear him

"Oh this just splendid" Slightly said "what am I going to tell everyone else"

"I don't know" Peter said "just don't tell anyone about me"

"But Peter" Slightly said

"Go Home Slightly" Peter told him walking away, Crutch started following him,, but then he turned to Slightly

"Need a hand" he asked helping him up

"Thank you" Slightly said back

"Think nothing of it, which way you live, I'll help you home"

The two started walking and Slightly knew he was in for it, not just for fighting but for lying to everyone, and of course Nibs being arrested and seeing Peter here was a complete surprise why was he here, did he change his mind? And if he did why didn't he just come to the Darling House, Wendy would have loved to see him, but then again the Peter he met tonight didn't seem like the typical merry and mischievous looking Peter Pan that he remembered, no he seemed more meaner, angrier, if Slightly had to make a comparison he seemed more like Hook.

To Be Contiuned


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I can't believe what you boys have done!" George screamed at both Tootles and Curly

"What were you all thinking anyway?"

"We just wanted to help" Tootles said "she's the only mother we have"

George looked at his adopted son's, he was angry as could be but at the same time he couldn't help but soften a bit, losing a mother is anything but easy for a child

"Boys I understand that you were trying to help, but you should have spoken to me instead of trying to take matters into your hands the way you did"

"Were sorry father" Curly said "its just that you always say that a man has to provide for his family and that is what we were all trying to do"

"But you are not men, not yet, you are still boys and as boys it is your job to simply learn what you have to in order to become men, but until then I except you to behave like boys and leave adult matters to me, is that understood?"

"Yes father we understand" Tootles said

"Good but don't think any of you are off the hook, none of you are leaving this house, you are all to come straight home after school and you are to clean all the dishes after every meal until further notice"

"Yes father" they both said at once

"Good now I have to find a way to help Nibs" George told them "and I will find a way to help him" he repeated sternly

Just then there was a knock on the door and George opened up to let Millicent in and with her was Slightly who simply walked in with his head bowed

"Go upstairs Slightly" Millicent told him "and stay there until I call for you"

"Yes mother" Slightly said solemnly, Slightly joined the others who were all gathered up in the nursery with Wendy

"Did you get into big trouble?" Michael asked him

"I can only leave the house to go to school and whenever I am with mother, I have to clean the whole house every weekend and mother is going to pick me up everyday after school" he added

"Be grateful that is all the punishment you received" Wendy said crossing her arms

"I know, I was just trying to help your Mother Wendy" Slightly said

"I know you were" Wendy said she then turned to the rest of the boys "but you should have spoken to father or mother or at least to me we are all family and we have to help each other"

"Is mother going to be all right?" one of the twins asked

"They don't know" Wendy said "All I know is that Mother is very sick and father is not sure we should even tell her about what happened the other night, he is afraid it may make her worse"

"Mother is sick, Nibs is in jail, what are we to do?" Tootles asked

"We are to let father handle this as best he can" Wendy said she then turned to Slightly

"Slightly did you tell father everything that happened?"

"Yes" Slightly said "though he had left out one minor detail, namely the person who had saved him"

"Someone there must have seen something" John reasoned

"Didn't you at least try to help Nibs" one of the Twins asked

"I wanted to, but (Slightly paused for a moment) that boy who saved me held me back"

"Maybe he saw something" Tootles said "did he tell you his name?"

"ah no" Slightly said sheepishly "chap never told me anything about himself"

"Slightly are you hiding something?" Wendy asked

"me hide something" Slightly said "why would I be hiding something, I have nothing to hide"

"Was the boy a wanted criminal?" Michael asked

"No of course not" Slightly said

"How would you know?" Wendy asked

"Well I don't" Slightly said "I don't think he was" everyone glared at him

"Why does it matter who it was that saved me, someone was nice enough to pull that Mad Dog off of me, does it matter who it was?"

"It probably wouldn't if you were not acting so strange" Wendy said

"I'm not acting strange"

"Actually you are" John said "almost like there is something you want us all to know, but are afraid of telling us"

"Well I"

"Slightly remember what I just said about us all being family" Wendy said

"Yeah but Peter would kill me if I ratted him out" just then he covered his mouth with both hands having leaked who it was that saved him

"Peter, as in Peter Pan?" John said in shock

"He was there?" Wendy asked equally as shocked

"He's the one who pulled that big brute off me" Slightly said "he warned me not to say anything"

"Has he changed his mind?" Tootles asked

"I'm not sure" Slightly replied "but I do not think so, he didn't seem happy to see me, he didn't seem happy at all"

"But Peter is always merry" Curly said

"Not anymore" Slightly said "in fact I thought he eyes were going to start glowing red just like Hook's, whatever happened I don't think his leaving Neverland was his choice"

Wendy couldn't believe what she was hearing, she had wanted nothing more then for Peter to come back, she even left the window open waiting for the day when he would and he had been here apparently brawling with other boys, what could have happened in Neverland to bring him to that type of state

"I got it" Tootles said "all we have to do is find Peter, he can get Nibs out of jail"

"He can't fly" Slightly said "he told me that when he was holding me back from Nibs and the police, then he yelled at me to go home and walked away I have not seen him since"

"Peter is the last of our concerns" Wendy said though she was just as curious as everyone else, "right not we just have to be there for mother, as much as we can be"

Later that night as Wendy lay in bed all she could think about was the fact that Peter was back, "maybe there is a reason he came back" she thought to herself, "maybe he came back for me" but if that were true why wouldn't he have just come to there house, he knew the way, way would he be living in a slum and fighting in a basement, Wendy didn't know and despite everything that she had told her brothers and herself she had intended to find out.

The next day Wendy had gone to Halsey Street and looked around, the neighborhood was a complete slum, the streets were dirty, the houses were all rundown and the people, even the children all looked liked scoundrels, she searched for anyone who in anyway resembled Peter

"Just got some apples, want one?" Crutch asked as he took a seat next to Peter who was crouching on the steps of one of the rundown houses

"No Thanks" Peter said

"Suit yourself" Crutch taking a bite out of one

"So your friend seems he nice"

"Slightly he's all right I suppose" Peter said simply

"His friend is in a world of trouble, that boy that got killed last night was one of them rich boys"

"rich boys?" Peter asked, Crutch nodded his head as he took another bite out his apple

"what is a rich boy doing around here?" Peter asked

"Probably using his father's money to place bets, gotta love them rich kids coming down here and just spreading there money around so they watch us poor ones beat each other"

Peter sat up and thought for a moment, then he simply crouched back down again and sighed, "not my concern" he told himself

"Hey who's the girl"

"What girl?"

"That pretty girl walking around over there, you don't see any girls like that coming around here"

Peter took a look and all he needed was one look at her face to make his eyes widened in terror, he then quickly turned to Crutch

"You never saw me, I was never here" Peter told him quickly then he buried his face under his cap and quickly started walking away "What's the matter, its just a girl" Crutch said after him loudly, loudly enough to catch Wendy's attention and see the boy who was walking away fast with his cap covering his face

"Peter" she called out, she then quickly ran to catch up with him, "Peter?" she said, Peter stopped in his tracks, and answered her in a fake British accent

"I am not Peter, my name is (he thought for a second) John"

"John is my brother" Wendy said "and I know that it is you"

Peter sighed and then turned around

"Peter" Wendy said almost completely breathless

"Hi Wendy" Peter said

To Be Contiuned


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Peter looked at Wendy for a long moment, he had no idea what to say and he really didn't want to say anything as he believed that if anyone was going to try and get Peter not to go back to Neverland it was likely going to be Wendy

Wendy couldn't believe that it was really him he had been here all this time living in the slums, he still looked as dirty as ever but now he was dressed in the manor of many of the other people residing in the slums rather then being covered in leaves, he also looked liked he had gotten slightly older then before, perhaps had aged to be about 14 if Wendy had to make a guess.

Without any warning Wendy put her arms around and gave him a big hug, Peter simply stood there dumbfounded still not sure what to think and looking anything but comfortable, after a moment he managed to take Wendy off of him

"I didn't come here to grow up" Peter said

"They why are you here? Wendy asked

Peter looked liked he was about to answer, but then he just got an annoyed look on his face

"I really don't believe that is your business" Peter said sternly

Wendy was completely taken a back by his statement, he certainly hadn't seemed to have changed much from when they were in Neverland

"Peter" Wendy said

"I don't have to tell you anything" Peter said "whatever debt you think I owe you was paid in full when I saved you from Hook"

"I didn't say that you owed me anything" Wendy said "I just wanted to see you is all, to see if you were all right"

"I'm fine" Peter said "can I go now?"

"I don't think that you are fine" Wendy said

Peter was starting to get angry, she still wanted to act like miss high and mighty, like little miss grown up, he had let her get away with it once, but not this time, not even close

"who do you think you are?" Peter snapped "you don't know me, you don't know anything about me"

"I know enough" Wendy said

"no you don't so why don't you just do us both a favor and go home and leave me alone, you have ruined my life enough"

With that Peter turned and started to walk away leaving Wendy standing there completely bewildered, it was just like Neverland all over again

When Wendy got home she immediately went to her room and collapsed on her bed she then started to cry having been completely hurt, after everything that had happened she thought just maybe she managed to change him just a little, maybe she did change him just not in the way that she wanted, just then John came into her room

"Wendy?" John asked

"what is it?" Wendy said a little harshly as she wiped tears away from eyes

"father just wanted me to tell you that he was taking mother for her medical appointment," he then looked at his sister and her heart face, "are you all right" he asked

"I'm fine" Wendy said

"You found him didn't you" John asked "and I take it was just as happy to see you as he was to see Slightly"

Wendy looked at John, then shook her head, "that boy is the most ungallant, savage boy I have ever met" she said bitterly

"you know Wendy" John said "you are my sister and I love you with all my heart but I can say with all honesty that you can be a bit pushy and patronizing at times"

"I am not a bad person John" Wendy said

"I never said you were, and I don't believe Peter is either, I mean if he really was bad he would not have saved us all from Hook and bought us all home, if it wasn't for him we could all very well be dead now"

"I know that" Wendy said "I just hoped that maybe he would have changed"

"Like mother says, change does not come over night"

John managed to get Wendy to smile a bit, then he made a suggestion, "look if you want to get Peter to change maybe the best way is to try and understand him a little, try to understand what makes him the way he is"

"I have tried to understand him" Wendy said

"Did you really?" John asked

"Well he's not one for just opening up"

"Well don't force it on him either, just start and a conversation and then try to ease into it, get him to just open up little by little, he may surprise you again"

Wendy looked at John and smiled, "when did you become so smart?" she asked him

"Us boys are full of surprises" John said with a smile "well that and I had a lot help from mother" he admitted

The day after school Wendy went back to Halsey Street, she went back to the same spot where she had seen Peter before, unfortunately he wasn't there, she started to look around, just the she heard a voice from behind her

"what have a hear, a pretty lady" Wendy turned around to see that there were three boys behind her

"and what is a fine lady like yourself doing in a place like this?"

"I am just looking for a friend" Wendy said

"anyone we know?" said one of the other boys

"I certainly hope not" Wendy said "now if you excuse me"

"why you leaving so soon?" the head boy said "we just want to get to know you a little better"

"I suggest that you gentlemen leave me be" Wendy said

"Oh really"

"yes really" Wendy said just then she stomped on the foot of one of the boys

"you little hellcat!" one of the boys screamed as he charged at Wendy, but Wendy simply dodged him then kicked him in the back, but there leader managed to grab her from behind

"I think we should teach this little girl here to respect us men" he said violently throwing her to ground, Wendy then responded by kicking him in the face, just then the other two came atop of her one holding down her arms and the other her legs, then the leader got back up again, and angrily glared at Wendy

"Time to teach this one a little respect" he said raising his hand, but before he could strike Wendy, his hand got grabbed

"You want to fight someone? Peter asked "why not try fighting me?"

"Why not mind your business you little punk?"

"I'm making it my business" Peter said angrily the boy threw a swing at Peter which he easily dodged he then hit the boy with the back of his arm breaking his nose in the process

one of the other boys then pulled out a knife, "eat this" he said taking a swipe at Peter, Peter grabbed his arm and twisted it, he then suckered punched him in the face making him fall into a pile of garbage cans

The third boy simply looked at Peter, Peter simply smiled at him and motioned his hand for him to come and attack, but the boy already having seen his two friends get taken down, simply took off, just then his two friends got up and followed

"You all right?" Peter asked Wendy as he helped her up

"Yes thank you" Wendy said, Peter gave her a little smile, but a moment later his face became very stern

"I thought I told you not to come back?" Peter said

"You told me to leave you alone, not to come back here and you did not have to come to my assistance"

"Yeah well next time I won't" Peter said crossing his arms

"Why don't I believe that?" Wendy said, then she remembered her conversation with John

"Peter I am only here because (she thought for a seconded), because I need your help"

"why do you need my help?" Peter asked

"because one of my brothers is in jail" Wendy said "I need to know what happened"

"Oh is that all you want?" Peter asked

"Yes I promise" Wendy said

"I really do not know what happened, I was to busy helping Slightly, we came outside and we saw Nibs being taken by the police, this is all I know"

"Is there nothing else you can think of?" Wendy asked

"Well I heard that Nibs is said to have killed a rich man's son" Peter said "one who was coming here to make bets"

"Oh dear" Wendy said

"Yes lots of people come here to bet on the fights" Peter told her

"And do you fight?" Wendy asked

"Yes I am quite good" Peter said crossing his arms

"But Peter, why fight, especially when you could have just come and stayed with us"

"Because it is what I am good at Wendy"

"I am sure there are plenty of other things you are good at" Wendy said

"Look I told you everything that I knew" Peter said "I think you should be getting home now"

"But wait could you perhaps try to find out a little bit more about what is happening with Nibs?" Wendy asked

"Why" Peter asked

"Because father will not tell me anything, he will not tell any of us anything" Wendy responded back

"I suppose" Peter said, just then he started to turn and head his own way

"where can I find you?" Wendy called after him

"I'll find you" Peter replied back without turning around

on the way back home Wendy thought, she hadn't planned on trying to find out herself what was happening to Nibs, she wanted to let her father handle it, she didn't know why she even decided to ask Peter about it, maybe it was just a mix of curiosity and trying to get Peter to at least open up about something, Wendy was now wondering if this was the right way to go about it and knowing Peter would gathering information be the only thing that he would do?

To be Contiuned


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Peter found Crutch standing by himself near a fire, warming his hand while his other hand was still holding his cane, Peter tapped him on the shoulder

"Hey chap" Crutch said turning around

"Hey I think I might need your help with something" Peter said

"You asking me for help, I'm touched"

Peter shot him a look and then just shook his head, "can you help me or not?" he asked

"I would love to mate but I got to be getting home, can't be to late or everyone else won't have dinner"

"You have a home?" Peter asked in shock

"Not everyone here is family less" Crutch said, then he looked at Peter

"want to come over?" he asked

"why would I want to come over?" Peter asked

"because your my mate" Crutch said back "and besides everyone else always teases me about not having any friends"

Peter just shrugged and Crutch motioned for Peter to follow him, as they walked Peter couldn't help but be a little curious

"so if you have a family?" Peter asked "do they send you to school?"

"I wish I could go to school" Crutch said "I have to spend all my time helping out as much as I can"

"you wish you could go to school?" Peter asked bewildered "why would you want to go to school?"

"so I can learn stuff" Crutch replied "I hear school teaches you all kinds of stuff"

"like what?"

"How am I suppose to know, you would have to ask someone who goes to school"

They arrived at Crutch's apartment, a four story run down tenement, and he lived all the way up on the fourth floor so he had to take his time to get up the stairs due to his bad leg

"Why don't I carry that bag you have there" Peter offered

"Thank you mate" Crutch said "forcing myself up these stairs and carrying the food isn't easy you know"

Once Crutch and Peter made there way to Crutch apartment, Crutch knocked on the door

"What is the password?" a voice from inside side

"The password is let me in now" Crutch responded

"What else?"

"Let me in now please" the door opened and a little boy looked up at him

"Thank you" Crutch said

Peter couldn't help but crack a little smile and shake his head a bit, he had to wonder if his own brother would have played little jokes on him if they had been together

Once inside Peter saw that Crutch had more then just a little brother, he had two younger twin sisters and an even younger brother, he also noted just how small there apartment was, it was smaller then Peter's own hideout in Neverland had been

"You all live here?" Peter asked

"Yeah I know it is small, but its better then having nothing," just then Crutch's mother appeared

"Evening mother" Crutch said "I bought dinner and I bought a dinner guest, this is Peter"

Peter of course remembering the manners he had learned from Maim and the fairy court bowed to Crutch's mother

"Where did you meet him?" his mother asked

"He's the one who kept our food money from being robbed mother, we wouldn't have had anything to eat for a week he hadn't pulled those guys off me"

"Well I suppose we can give some dinner as a thank you then, did you bring enough home?"

"I bought more then enough, I was able to take some extra bets which really helped"

"Good, I'll start cooking it then"

As everyone ate there meal Peter just kept to himself, and Crutch's mother didn't seem very interested in asking that many questions, especially since she considered Peter was nothing but another street kid who probably didn't know much about his past to begin with, so she just left him be

Peter watched rather amused as he looked at the siblings who would occasionally make faces at each other, and even hit each other, it couldn't help but remind him just a bit of old times with his lost boys back in Neverland.

After dinner Crutch and Peter sat out on the fire escape, "so how did you like my family?"

"there all right" Peter said simply

"did you like the food?"

"yeah it was good" then Peter turned Crutch

"so do you often bring food home for your mother?" Peter asked

"Pretty much"

"Just like them grown ups, they except us to do work for them"

"I am just helping out nothing wrong with that"

"Were boys were suppose to be having fun"

"I have fun when I can and besides they can't take care of us all the time"

"But its what they are suppose to do" Peter said

"Its got to go both ways mate, yeah they take care of us but sooner or later we got to start taking of them, it's only fair"

"Well I have had no one to take care of me, no one" Peter said bitterly

"I guess that explains why you are such a loner"

Peter then turned to Crutch and sighed "look I'm sorry, I never had dinner at someone's house before"

"Well then I'm happy to have been the first mate" Crutch said smiling

"So what did you need my help with?"

"I need to know if you anything else about Nibs"

"Who?"

"The boy who got arrested"

"Oh well not much except what I already told you, why are you so interested all of a sudden?"

"I'm doing it as a favor for a friend"

"That Slightly kid?"

"No not him"

"Then who, it isn't that girl who was here the other day, is it?"

"What if it is?" Peter asked

"Not saying anything" Crutch said putting his hand up and smiling

"Look, Slightly and Nibs they are kind of like her brothers"

"Those two are related to her, wow, I wondered what was up when I bought that Slightly kid to his house, it looked far to nice for a poor kid, kinda makes me wonder what they were doing here"

"I don't know, something about Wendy's mother" Peter responded

"Well all I know is that he killed a rich boy who was betting down here, the cops found the knife on her brother with blood"

"They have must of had a fight" Peter said

"I suppose" Crutch responded "I thought he might have been robbing him, but after what you told me I don't think he needed to rob him"

Peter thought about this for a second, "Boots is the one who does the bets right?"

"He does most of them, but not for the rich ones, Weasel himself handles those"

"Weasel?"

"He is the one who runs the fights, don't you know that"

"Wait you mean that old man I met when I first went there?" Peter asked

"That's him, he runs the whole thing and if anyone rich shows up Weasel takes there bets personally, or so I have heard"

Peter was starting to get more and more curious, if he didn't know any better he was starting to smell an adventure on his noise, usually Peter just sought out adventure but now it looks like one may have just found him in the last place he thought it would

"Where do they keep boys who have been arrested?" Peter asked

"At the refuge, why?"

"I think I need to see Nibs" Peter said

To be Contuined


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Nibs sat alone in his small jail cell with nothing but a window that looked out on the corner of the street, he had seen George once since he had been arrested and he was told that by his adopted father that he would do everything he could to get him out of prison, but Nibs felt completely trapped, he had no idea what was going to happen to him, he felt worse then he felt when he was on Hook's ship, at least with Hook he knew that it was likely that him and the others were going to walk the plank but here he was left with a sense of waiting and wondering that haunted him more then anything, he started to wonder if maybe things weren't easier in Neverland, maybe Peter was right, maybe there world was better, at least it was simple, just then Nibs heard a voice

"Hey Nibs" Peter said

Nibs turned to the window and saw Peter there

"Peter?" Nibs said "have you come to rescue me and take me back to Neverland?"

"I wish" Peter said, just then Peter pointed to the rope that was hanging around his waist

"What do you need that for?" Nibs asked

"I kinda got banished from home" Peter said quietly

"What happened?" Nibs said

"Its a long story" Peter said "but I have this rope holding me up"

"But who is holding the rope?" Nibs asked he looked up and saw Crutch looking down

"That's uh, hey what is your name again?" Peter asked

"Crutch remember, my name is Crutch"

"Are you a lost boy?" Nibs asked

"lost what?"

"no he's not" Peter interjected "he actually has a family"

"are you adopted to?" Nibs asked

"no" responded Crutch "are you?"

"yep Wendy's parents adopted us"

"listen" Peter said "I need to know what happened the other night, how you ended up here"

"How did you even know I was here?"

"I saw you get arrested" Peter said "I was at the fight club"

"What were you doing there?" Nibs asked

"What I do best" Peter said with his cocky grin

"Well I saw these two boys fighting" Nibs said "one of them was a boy named Boots"

"Boots?" Peter said "Boots was fighting with another boy?"

"The boy who got killed actually, he punched Boots in the face and then he went outside and I followed him"

"Smelled an adventure now did you?" Peter asked

"Some things never change I suppose" Nibs said

"So what else happened?" Peter asked

"Well I came outside and next thing I know it felt like someone had hit me over the head, when I woke up there was a knife in my hand and that boy was dead right next to me, when I stood up the police arrived and arrested me"

"So what your saying is that you were set up?" Crutch asked

"I think so" Nibs said

"Well don't worry" Peter said "I'm going to find a way to help you"

"But father said that he would help me" Nibs said

"I have no father Nibs" Peter said "I will do as a will and my will is to help you, so sit tight"

Just then Nibs heard the sound of someone passing by and he motioned to Peter to get going, Peter looked up at Crutch who then quickly managed to pull Peter up as fast as he could

"You really think he was set up?" Crutch asked

"My boys don't lie to me" Peter said "believe me I know when they are lying"

"So what are you going to do?"

"Well I need you to do me a favor"

"Another one?" Crutch asked

"This one is real easy" Peter said

The next day Crutch was wondering around houses near Kensington Gardens, where the Darlings lived, of course was waiting to see Wendy, when he saw her he approached her as fast as he could

"Mam" Crutch said

"May I help you sir" Wendy said

"I'm a friend of Peter's" Crutch said "he sent me with a message for you"

"Peter" Wendy exclaimed, she was hoping that Peter would be willing to share information himself "you are a friend of Peter's?"

"yes mam and we think your adopted brother Nibs was setup" Crutch replied

"Why would you think that?" Wendy asked

"just some information we gathered up mam" Crutch said

"what information, what is Peter up to?" Wendy asked

"he is trying to help your brother all right, and he believes that he was framed, that is all he told me to say"

"can I talk to him?" Wendy asked

"He told me to tell you to leave it to him"

"that Peter Pan" Wendy said "Nibs is my brother and Peter is not going to do anything without me, now take me to him at once"

"Won't you be missed by your parents?" Crutch asked

"let me worry about that" Wendy said "now I want to see Peter"

Crutch sighed, he could see that trying to argue with this girl was pointless so he decided to just bring her along to Halsy street where he was suppose to met up with Peter, Peter probably should have done a better job at warning him that this Wendy girl was anything but a stay at home"

"all right" Crutch said "follow me"

To be Contiuned


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Peter sat on the steps across the streets from the fight club, he got up when he saw Boots walking inside, Peter was pretty sure that Boots and Weasel must have had something to do with framing Nibs

"Hey Peter" Crutch said

"Did you tell Wendy what is going on?" Peter asked without looking at him

"Yes he did" Peter turned to see that Wendy standing right next to Crutch, Peter then sternly looked at Crutch and grabbed him

"Not so hard" Crutch said

"I don't wish her to be here" Peter said

"Well she wanted to come" Crutch told him

"But I do not want her here"

"Then you tell her that"

Peter turned to Wendy and then back to Crutch

"you do it" Peter exclaimed

"what are you scared, of a girl"

"I fear nothing"

"Yeah okay, if you say so fearless one"

"You know I am standing right here" Wendy said

"Look you two obviously have issues you have to work out so why don't I just go and leave you two alone" Crutch said "I'll talk to you later Peter" he said taking off

"You can not leave me here with her?" Peter screamed after him then he turned to Wendy

"Why can't you just leave me alone" Peter whined "what do you want from me?"

"I just want to help" Wendy said

"I don't want your help" Peter said

"In case you forgot Peter Nibs is one of my brothers"

Peter smirked and rolled his eyes "what Nibs is a boy your mother and father felt sorry for, a boy I found, that I watched over that you so gladly helped yourself to, along with all my other boys"

"It was there choice to come back with me" Wendy said

"Because I am sure you would loved it if they had said no to you" Peter retorted back "just like you loved it when I said no to you"

"I let you be" Wendy said

"Yeah that was after all of your annoying insults, and my personal favorite the one about it being my greatest pretend" Peter said with an angry smile "it was bad enough you were leaving and taking everything I had with you"

"You can not force people to stay with you" Wendy said

"I never force anyone to stay with me" Peter said crossing his arms "never, but that doesn't mean I have to like it when they leave or want them around me when I'm here"

As much as Wendy hated to admit she couldn't argue with that, Peter hadn't attempted to stop any of them from leaving and she couldn't force herself on him either"

"Peter I already said I was sorry remember" Wendy said

"Oh yeah I remember" Peter said "I would be in Neverland right now if it wasn't for your stupid kiss"

"You mean this?" Wendy asked pulling out the acorn that she still had around her neck

"No I mean a real kiss, I learned what it is really called"

"What happened?" Wendy asked

Peter just looked at Wendy with an annoyed look on his face

"Peter please just tell me what happened maybe I can help you get back home"

"I thought you wanted me to grow up?" Peter asked

"I would like you to but if Neverland is where you really want to be then I have no right to try and keep you here"

Peter looked turned away from Wendy for a second "you mean that?" he asked looking back at her

"Of course Peter, like I said I just want to help you is all"

"well I have to help Nibs first" Peter said "I promised him"

"When did you see Nibs?" Wendy asked

"last night I went to visit him at the refuge"

"how did you manage that?" Wendy asked

"Me and Crutch went up to the roof and tied a rope around me then I lowered myself in front of Nibs's cell"

"so you really saw Nibs, is he all right"

"He's surviving, I think, but he told me everything that happened"

"You believe him?" Wendy asked

"I know when my boys are lying" Peter said "Nibs is not lying, not even close"

"Well could you please at least let me help, I know this world much better then you do"

"Well I have that friend I made" Peter said

"Peter do you really want to get him involved in something like this?" Wendy asked "Nibs is at least part of my family"

"All right you can help me" Peter said sighing just then he turned around and saw Boots coming out with one of the other fighters, it looked liked Boots was handing him a handful of money

"Who's that?" Wendy asked

"he calls himself Boots" Peter said "he is the one who runs the fights, and the one with him, I'm sure I've seen him during the fights to, I think he is one of the other fighters"

"have you ever fought him?" Wendy asked

"no" Peter said he then started to wonder aloud "why is Boots giving him money now?"

"well they do make money don't they" Wendy asked

"you collect money after the fights" Peter said "I know I have money won here myself and we all get it after the fight not before it"

"That's strange?" Wendy said

'Wendy, why were Slightly and Nibs here?" Peter asked

"You do not know?"

"I know it has something to do with your mother"

"she is sick Peter" Wendy said

"sick" Peter said looking taken a back "she is going to be all right?"

"I do not know" Wendy said "but there is a good chance she might die"

To be Contiuned


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Peter looked at Wendy he could see how sad she was at the thought of losing her mother, it was a pain that he himself had known all to well. As much as didn't want to admit it he didn't want Mary to die either, he actually liked her quite a bit, well for a mother anyway, she was the first mother to actually be what he often dreamed his mother would have been to him.

"I am sorry" Peter said in a rather heartfelt tone

Wendy looked at Peter and smiled, he actually did look genuinely sorry for her, she could never understand why Peter tried so hard to cover up his emotions, it was like there was something that he wanted to keep locked inside and he never wanted it come out. For Wendy Peter was not the only one who seemed this way, she felt the same way with Hook as well, that deep down there was a man of feeling in there and she also saw that deep down Peter Pan was a boy of feeling. Wendy could not understand what could be so terrible for a boy that he has to lock his feelings away like that, that he can't even open up to someone who loved him.

"Thank you" Wendy told him

Peter gave a quick smile but then did his best to take it back as he really didn't want to give Wendy and more importantly himself any reason not to go back to Neverland, should he even be invited back, though it was to late as Wendy had already seen it, though she decided it would be best to not make a point of it, like John said things have to happen little by little

"So why do you think someone would want to set my brother up?" Wendy asked

"I have no idea" Peter said as he started walking, he motioned for Wendy to follow him, "all I know is that the boy who got killed was a rich boy, he was placing bets here?"

"Why would a boy be wasting money on placing bets?" Wendy wondered aloud

"To make more money" Peter reasoned "lots of people, boys and men come here to make bets and make money"

"Have you placed any bets?" Wendy asked curiously

"No I just fight, but I can often get some of the winnings, it is how I feed myself since I can not just hunt here"

Wendy couldn't help but roll her eyes and smile, Peter always had to do everything the hard way, all she could think of was that there must have been some part of him that just enjoyed the challenge of it all.

"So why would someone here kill a rich boy especially if they valued his money?"

"Like I said Wendy, I do not know, all I know is that Nibs saw Boots and the rich boy fighting and when Nibs went to see what was going on someone hit him over the head, when he woke up there was a knife in his hand"

"Someone must have seen something" Wendy reasoned

"Lots of things happen in these alleys that no one sees and those who do, do not want to say anything, I suppose people are to afraid" Peter said showing off just how much of his new environment he had learned about

"And I suppose whoever it was wanted to frame Nibs in order to keep themselves from getting caught" Wendy added

Peter nodded in agreement

Wendy then started to wonder just how long Peter had been here and what happened in Neverland that he got banished from it, and what her own role in it might have been, though she herself suspected what it might have actually been.

"So you were just banished from Neverland?" Wendy asked

Peter didn't like the change of subject, it was not something that he wanted to talk about especially with Wendy since he felt that once she caught on to the reasons he was banished she would use it to try and catch him and make him a man.

"Well no I was not just banished, the fairy court just felt that I had changed is all"

"Change is not always a bad thing" Wendy said

"Well I happen to like myself just fine" Peter said though he knew that he was lying not only to Wendy but to himself as well, he had been wondering ever since she had left whether or not staying in Neverland was the right thing, and his emotions and desires were starting to shake the balance in Neverland, its way Peter was told that he had to leave.

For Peter leaving Neverland was very difficult for him, both Neverland and Kensington Gardens were the only homes he had ever truly had, the fairies and magical creatures were the only family that he had, the only ones he was ever really close to. He didn't think that he could trust humans or his human emotions especially when they had lead him so astray once before, and not just any emotion but the very emotion of love, every time he heard the word it bought up nothing but hurt feelings and bad memories, memories that even Neverland were unable to get rid of. Peter never understood how he did it or why he did it, how it was that he was able to remember his mother while everyone else forgot there's, if there was a riddle behind Peter Pan that was it, the fact that he remembered the very thing everyone else forgot.

Wendy could see that Peter was conflicted again, she tried to study him as much as she could hoping that maybe just maybe he would let something out. Wendy believed that whatever was going on with Peter there was more to it then never growing up, she often wondered what his relationship with his family might have been like, were they cruel to him, was he mistreated, is that way he ran away, did he think all adults were like that, did Peter even remember his family, all these questions and possibilities couldn't help but make Wendy feel just a little guilty about how things went when they initially parted ways.

"Sometimes we have to hear things we do not want to hear, especially if they are the truth, sometimes it is the only way we can better ourselves" Wendy thought to herself, not that it made the whole thing any better for her; she did not like to hurt anyone feelings especially someone she found herself caring so deeply for, she wished that Peter would just open up to her even if just a little.

Wendy then noticed the street clock, "oh dear" she thought "it is getting rather late" she then turned to Peter

"I have to be getting home Peter" Wendy told him "But can I possibly meet you tomorrow after school?"

Peter nodded his head and with that Wendy turned and headed for home, Peter stood and watched her leave, "what am I doing?" he thought to himself "am I really going to let her get to me again" as much as he tried to fight it he once again started to find himself falling prey to his emotions, "if only Solomon were here" he thought "he would know what to do, he always knew what to do" Peter then turned and walked in the opposite direction

Out of the darkness of the nearby alleyway Boots slowly came out, he had noticed Peter and Wendy from across the street and wondered what could a pretty girl like her be doing talking to a strange boy like him and it didn't look she was lost or getting directions. Not to mention that there was something about Peter that made Boots uneasy, he couldn't put his finger on it but Peter Pan felt like trouble, and he wanted to know as much about him as he could, Boots was always liked to be cautious that way, being raised on the streets it was how he learned to be.

While keeping to the shadows he had managed to hear Peter and Wendy's conversation, especially the parts about the boy that they had killed and the other one that they had framed. And the whole thing about Fairies and Neverland only made his head spin more, "who was this boy" he thought to himself and more importantly who was the girl and was this all going to lead to trouble. Boots then started to head back to the club, he decided that the best thing to do was to tell Mr. Weasel what was going on, they weren't going to let that rich kid try who decided to develop a conscious cause them trouble, there was no way he was going to let some strange kids who apparently believed in fairies cause them trouble either.

To Be Continued


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Don't worry about it Boots" Weasel said "I have been in this business a long time and haven't been bought down yet"

"I don't like it, this girl showing up out of no where and she is not from around here all you have to do is take one look at her to know that" Boots told him back "and that Pan kid I knew there was always something about him I never liked"

Weasel had to admit that when it came to Peter he even found him to be rather strange, but the boy proved himself in the ring more times then Weasel could count, so Weasel never really thought about it much, especially when he had taken quite a few bets off of Peter.

"Look that Pan kid is a street kid, we are his bread and butter, not to mention you know how many we got loyal to us here, I don't think we have to worry about him"

Boots thought that Weasel probably had a point about Peter, but it still bothered him that a pretty girl with pig tails and a pretty little school uniform would be talking to him and this girl was anything but poor and what was all this talk about this Neverland, Boots had remembered it from when they first interviewed Peter, he thought he was being a sarcastic prick, but most of the boys around tended to be.

"Look you know just as well as I do that any threat to us is going to be taken care of, so relax, it is not like we do not know where to find this kid and he can't take on six or seven boys at once, no one can."

"What about the girl" Boots said "Even if Pan is trouble we can handle we do not know a thing about her and she might be real trouble"

Weasel couldn't help but agree, who is this girl and why was she snooping around, while Weasel was sure he wasn't dealing with someone like Sherlock Homes, but a girl like that could possibly lead to trouble or even worse possibly bring trouble with her.

"Found out all you can about the girl" Weasel said "If she is trouble we will take care of her, we will take care of both of them"

Boots nodded and smiled then he left and went to some of the boys in the club who were specifically loyal to him and Weasel, including Mad Dog, he told them to watch the neighborhood for Peter and when they found him to keep on watching him until he met up with Wendy and once they did to follow Wendy and learn all they could about her.

Peter and Crutch were sitting on the steps of Crutch's tenement and Crutch was counting the money he had won at the racetrack, Crutch would often spend his time placing bets in order to make money, though being a boy, he couldn't bet but had someone on the inside who made bets for him, and while Peter never planned on making any friends, especially since his goal was to return to Neverland and after what happened with Wendy and the boys, he decided it was better to just go back to being a loner. But he had to admit he rather liked having Crutch around, Crutch reminded him of Slightly when they first met, Slightly was actually the first lost boy that Peter ever made, its why he was Peter's 2nd in command as he had been with him the longest. The two made a vow to never grow up, to never need mothers and to always live for fun and adventure, Slightly was the only backup Peter had when they first encountered the pirates and when Peter took Hook's hand, they would often just relax in the forest and enjoy the sound of the fairies and there music.

"So what is going on between you and that Wendy girl?" Crutch asked

"Nothing" Peter replied simply

Crutch looked at Peter bewildered it was obvious just from the way they looked at each other that there was a lot of history. Well maybe not a lot of history, but enough that they were significant in each others lives, and enough that for whatever reason Peter really didn't seem to want much to do with her.

"You know not very many boys around here have pretty girls like her taking interest in them" Crutch told him very matter of fact

"I do not want her taking interest in me" Peter said

Crutch didn't believe Peter, every time Peter answered there was a real tone of annoyance in his voice, like this was a subject he really did not want to talk about at all. It made Crutch all the more sure that something pretty big had happened bet. them, he didn't know what, he really didn't want to know, he didn't think it was his business, but he could not help but be just a bit awestruck that Peter would not want to kiss and make up with what would be every poor boys dream girl.

"You say so" Crutch said

Though Crutch really wasn't planning on pushing the matter Peter has pretty much taken Crutch statement like it had been some kind of grand challenge to him. And when it came to Peter Pan he wasn't one to ignore a challenge to him any challenge to him no matter who it was who made it, not even Wendy herself when she declared herself as Red Handed Jill, it just wasn't in his nature to simply walk away, well usually.

"What are you saying?" Peter asked

"Nothing" Crutch responded

"Look if I stay with Wendy then I would have to go to school, marry her, have children and then work in an office and never get to have fun again."

Crutch really looked at Peter confused "where did all that come from" he thought, but when he saw the seriousness of Peter's face, the boy really meant he said, or at least believed what he said to an extent.

"Don't you think you might be jumping the gun just a little bit?" Crutch told him

"How am I jumping the gun?" Peter asked not even knowing what the phrase meant

"Well how do you know that you are going to be working in an office or be getting married or even having children, unless you can see the future you have no idea what is going to happen"

"Isn't that what grown ups do?" Peter asked

"Some yeah, but there plenty of grown ups who do not get married or have children or work in an office, hell my own father worked on the boat yards"

Peter thought for a second and he remembered that Captain Hook was a man and did not work in an office, he was a pirate, but pirates were all bad, they were villains, thieves, Peter could never be like that, at least that's what he told himself despite all the times he would sneak into Hook's cabin to steal things from him.

But its true that even with the pirates right in front of him Peter still had a very one sided view of what it meant to grow up, maybe it all had to do with what his mother wanted him to be rather then what it actually was. It always went back to his mother, no matter how hard he tried everything that Peter was centered around the fact that she abandoned him and if he had successfully returned to her he might have very well gone to an office and gotten married, and have had children, it might have been his great great children who had met Wendy rather then him.

Peter didn't know it but he had been followed over to Crutch's after he had been spotted by Mad Dog and another boy the two had been watching and listening for quite some time and of course as a result had managed to learn Wendy's name.

Right on cue Wendy was coming up the street, when first came to Halsey Street she had no idea how she was going to find Peter so she just went to the spot where she and Peter had parted ways the night before. She looked around but there was no sign of Peter, she was however spotted by another pair of Boots's boys who while they had been told to search around for Peter himself had also been given Wendy's description and on Halsey Street it was not hard for Wendy to stick out quite a bit.

Luckily Wendy had also been asking around about Crutch as well and it anyone was going to lead her to Peter it was going to be him, she had managed to find someone who had known Crutch and told him where he lived, Wendy smiled when she saw the two

"Peter" she said

Peter sat up and then straightened himself up, Crutch looked at him, "maybe they did kiss and make up" he thought to himself, "everything all right between you two?" Crutch asked

"I suppose it is as good as it could possibly be" Wendy said still not being sure herself on where her and Peter really stood and when it came down to it Peter wasn't even sure himself, he had all these feelings swirling inside of him and he was afraid if he acted on them he would never be allowed to return home ever again.

"So did you get home all right?" Peter asked rather nervously

"Yes" Wendy said "I told my parents that I was over at a friends house studying"

"Classic" Crutch said "Everyone around here wishes they could use that excuse" just then he looked at both Peter's and Wendy's faces and could see that neither of them were very amused.

"all right, I think I am going to go again, give the boy and the girl there alone time" he said heading inside of his building

"Bye Crutch" Peter said

"Goodbye" Wendy said, then she turned to Peter and smiled, "it looks you are really becoming friends"

"Yeah I suppose" Peter said

"Do you plan on taking him with you when you leave?" Wendy asked

"No" Peter said "I am going back to the old days when it was just me and only me"

Wendy couldn't help but become more curious by Peter's statement, though she should have known that the lost boys were not always in Neverland, from what Peter just said it seemed there might have been a time where Peter actually was by himself. It makes sense how they could all leave Neverland and yet Peter be so willing to stay behind, Wendy wondered if Peter would be rather lonely by himself with no human contact, maybe it was something that was not so unfamiliar to him. But then why would Hook be able to drag Peter down the way he did if he was able to deal with being alone, there was still a missing piece to Peter that Wendy still had yet to discover and she thought that missing piece was the key to everything that made Peter who he was.

"Have you learned anything?" Wendy asked

"Nope" Peter said simply "I thought that I might ask around about the boy who got killed"

"But I thought that people would be to scared to talk about that?" Wendy asked

"To scared to talk about the murder, but so long as you do not talk about the murder and just talk about the boy you can probably find someone who will talk"

"You really think so?" Wendy asked

"No, but it is never stopped me before, besides what's an adventure without a little challenge" Peter said with his cocky smile, though it wasn't nearly as cocky as it use to be

Wendy smiled at him, "if it only he would look at growing up the same way" she thought to herself, but at least he was here now so it is not like all hope was lost either

Peter got up and motioned for Wendy to follow him as the two started leaving, the other four boys all met up with each other, two who had been watching Peter and the other who had been watching Wendy since she showed up. They agreed that Mad Dog and his friend would keep trailing Peter and Wendy while the other two would report back to Boots and share everything that they had learned.

To Be Continued


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Peter and Wendy walked around Halsey Street for quite some time mostly asking questions of the smaller children in the neighborhood and some of the older folks, no one seemed to have any idea what they were talking about.

"Peter I don't think this is getting us anywhere" Wendy said

"Well we can't give up now" Peter said, he really didn't want to talk with any of the older children or younger adults, since it would be much more difficult to get them to talk. Now this wasn't so much a problem for Peter, he liked the challenge, but he wasn't to sure his way of doing things would sit to well with Wendy.

Mad Dog and the other boy nicknamed Mouse were watching Peter and Wendy from the behind a large stack of creates and barrels.

"There not going to get anything" Mouse said "not talking to them folks"

"Yeah" Mad Dog agreed "maybe Boots was being to paranoid"

"Here they come" Mouse said again "this way" Mouse and Mad Dog quickly ducked out of site as Peter and Wendy headed in there direction

"Peter I think that we should try talking to someone older" Wendy said

Peter turned to look at Wendy and then sighed, "well if we do you have to promise that you will let me handle things my way"

"And what is your way?" Wendy asked sternly

"Just trust me" Peter said, he then started heading in the direction of where many of the older boys like to congregate. Wendy followed not sure what to make of all of this and she certainly did not like the sound of Peter handling things his own way.

Meanwhile back at the fight club Boots was being given the information that his other two boys nick named Muscles and Snake had gathered up from following Wendy and then from Mad Dog and Mouse.

"Her name is Wendy" Snake said

"She got a last name?" Boots asked

"Nope, just Wendy"

"No problem" Boots said "any idea on what this whole thing is to her"

"Well there is no doubt that her and Pan know each other" Muscles said "but other then that we do not know why she is here or what that rich boy has to do with her"

"It has nothing to do with him" Boots said pretty sure that Wendy connection was not to that Richard Smith Jr., but everything to do with the dimwitted boy that Mouse and Snake had framed.

Richard Smith Jr. was the son of a successful lawyer and his family was extremely well off. Richard who often found the high class life to be boring decided to create some excitement for himself by coming down to Halsey Street to bet on the fights. No one knew how he found out about the fight, probably just word of mouth, not that Weasel had any problems taking his money.

Then one night he shows up deciding that what they were doing was wrong and warned Weasel they had to stop or he was going to his father who in turn would go to the police. Boots tried to keep the boy silent by offering him money, but when Richard responded by punching Boots in the face, Boots responded in kind by motioning to Mouse and Snake to follow him into the alley.

You would not think much of Mouse given his size, its way the other boys called him mouse, but those who knew him knew pushing him around was a very bad idea. Richard didn't make much of Mouse when he saw him, but when Mouse tapped him on the shoulder and Richard turned around he been struck in the heart with Mouse's switchblade.

"How well would you say that these two know each other?" Boots asked

"Well from the way he looked" Muscles said "I would say pretty well"

"And there is also that kid Crutch" Snake added

"The one with the bad leg who walks around with a cane" Boots asked, Boots had seen Crutch more then a few times

"Yeah him and Pan seem to know each other"

Boots just smirked a bit, "Crutch is a pathetic punk who will do anything just to have a friend... I wouldn't worry about him"

"And Pan?" Muscles asked

"Pan will show up the second his food money runs out, but this Wendy is the real wild card" Boots said "Now lets wait and see what Mad Dog and Mouse have for us"

Mad Dog and Mouse had followed Peter and Wendy over to the general hangout of the older boys, they would often sit around and do various activities that were not usually common among boys, at least not from Wendy's perspective

"Are those boys smoking cigars?" Wendy said appalled "they are far to young"

Peter had to tried to keep himself from groaning, "there was Wendy once again acting like little miss high and mighty, like she knew it all" Peter thought to himself

Peter walked up to a group of boys playing cards, one of them looked up when they saw Peter "got any money, we'll deal you in"

"What's the game?" Peter asked

"Poker mate, you know how to play"

"Course I know how to play" Peter said, Peter actually did learn to play Poker from a surprising source, the pirates, he would often watch them have there poker games while they drank there liquor and he had played and practiced quite a bit with the lost boys.

"I know you" one of the boys said "Your the one with the strange accent who likes to fight in the ring"

"Oh yeah, I have seen you fight, you got some good moves on you" another said

"It is what I do best" Peter said with his cocky smirk

"Want a cigar mate?" another one asked bringing out a fresh cigar, just then Wendy interjected

"No he does want a cigar, he is far to young" just then Wendy noticed one of the boys take out a bottle of whiskey

"You cannot drink that" Wendy said snatching the bottle

"That is my whiskey" the boys said angrily getting up

"Yeah who do you think you are, our mother?"

Wendy had been taken aback by the statement

Peter glared angrily at Wendy, "remember what I said about letting me handle this"

"I think you should go" one of the boys said "we don't like to have trouble"

Peter threw his cards down grabbed the whiskey and tossed it back to the kid who it belonged to, he then started leaving with Wendy in tow

"Thank You Wendy" Peter said "This is why I did not want to bring you"

"Those boys behavior was completely inappropriate" Wendy said completely matter of fact

Peter sighed and rolled his eyes, "Why do you always have to spoil everything?" Peter asked "don't you believe in just having fun?"

"There is more to life then just having fun" Wendy said

"Don't start this again" Peter said annoyed

Peter then suddenly flash backed to the fairy dance, when she spoiled his fun by bringing up the dreaded L word, though he had been the one to start it when he told her it was all just make believe. Though the truth is that he wasn't just making that statement to her but to both of them, maybe even more to himself.

"All I am saying is to stop being so uptight" Peter said "so they want to drink and smoke and play games of men, why not, they are free, that is what freedom is all about, about living the way you want to live not the way someone else wants you to live."

"There has to be rules" Wendy said

"I know that" Peter said "Believe me, me and the boys had rules, we always had rules, but they were our rules the way we wanted to be, not the way some man in a uniform with a stick wanted us to be"

"Peter" Wendy said though she was not sure on what she was going to say next, she left Neverland because she did not want to spend her life as a girl, she wanted to live a full life and she was forgetting her parents as were her brothers. It had nothing to do with Peter wanting to be a free spirit, it had to do with Peter never wanting to grow up, never wanting to change or evolve, that what's made him deficient.

And what is gallant, it is what someone teaches you, what people from her class as well as the higher classes learn, it is there way of being. But this was not her class, this was a different world and she did not even need to fly to get there, it was right under her nose all the time. Could she really judge Peter or anyone else for not being from there world, she had been taught better then that; but when she originally met up with Hook and how he treated her made her want her own world more.

Of course the big irony of it all, the man of feeling made her walk the plank, the un-gallant and deficient boy saved her life

"I am sorry Peter" Wendy said

Peter looked at her curiously, a moment ago she almost had that "I am better then you because I am more grown up" look but now it was completely gone replaced with a genuine look of feeling sorry. "I did it" Peter thought to himself "I stood my ground with her, I knew I could do it"

"It is all right" Peter finally said "though I suppose we have to find another way to get information, I suppose there is the old beat someone until they talk"

"Peter" Wendy said though this time with a smile and a giggle

"just kidding" Peter said smiling back, then he put on his devilishly look "maybe"

To Be Continued


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Peter what are you thinking?" Wendy asked him when she saw his devilish look, and knowing that it was anything but a good thing

"Peter it is not good form to go and simply beat some one up for information"

"Oh but it is ever so much fun" Peter said toying with Wendy deciding to have himself a little fun with her

"Peter Pan" Wendy said crossing her arms but still managing to keep a smile on her face

"Yes mother" Peter said jokingly

"Peter be serious" Wendy told him

"All right" Peter said "besides I was not going to beat up someone up, I was just having a little fun"

Wendy shot him a look, "Oh grow up" she told him

"Me never" Peter said with a smile

Wendy simply shook her head still smiling, "you can take the boy out of Neverland, but you can never take the Neverland out of the boy" she thought to herself

"Well" Peter said his tone turning more serious "those boys are not going to talk to me now" (Peter thought for a second) "but there may be another place that we can go, though we are going to need some help"

Peter and Wendy went to Crutch's and Peter asked him if he could take them to the race track. Though Crutch had not planned on going there today to make any bets he didn't see the harm either and agreed to help them.

"I can not believe neither of you have ever been to the race track" Crutch said once they all got there

"What do they do here anyway?" Peter asked having never been to a racetrack before, though he heard boys say that they had gotten money there

"Are you serious?" Crutch asked

"This is where they race horses" Wendy informed him as she looked on to see some of the horses racing

"Yep and if you are lucky you can make some money betting on which horse is going to win" Crutch added

"Sounds fun" Peter said also taking a moment to look around himself, just then Crutch tapped him the shoulder and pointed in the direction of a group of boys

"There are the ones who like to make bets"

"I did not think children were allowed to make bets" Wendy said

"We have someone who makes them for us" Crutch said "if you are lucky you might find someone there who also makes bets on the fights"

Peter motioned to Wendy and the two then approached the boys, Wendy turned back to Crutch, "are you not coming?" she asked

"As much as I like you two, this is one of the few places where I can win some money for my family, so I would rather not get on anyone's bad side"

"Fair enough" Peter said "Come on Wendy"

The two approached the boys, "remember to let me handle this" Peter whispered to Wendy before turning to one of the boys who was waiting to make a bet

"Placing a bet?" Peter asked

"Who wants to know?" the boy asked rather meanly

"Well I have some money and I wanted to know if I could place any bets?" Peter responded

"Yeah you can place bets here though you have to wait for the man to come and take your bet, but he does not always take everyone's bet" another boy said

Peter smiled, this was going better then he hoped for as he had just come up with an idea to change the subject to the fights

"So if I can not always make bets here, is there another place where I can always make bets?"

"You might to talk to that boy over there, he is always making bets anywhere he can"

Peter turned to see the boy who was at the far end of the group, Peter wasn't sure if he had seen him at the club or not. But if he was making bets anywhere he could then the chances of him making bets on the fights were pretty good

Peter and Wendy approached the boy who looked up and gave Peter a look like he had seen him before

"I know you, Peter something or another" the boy said trying to remember his full name

"Peter Pan" Peter said a bit on the annoyed side

"Yeah I have seen you fight at the club, pretty much everyone bets on you now"

"Do they?" Peter asked in a tone indicating that he was rather proud of himself

Wendy shook her head with her eyes rolled "Peter and his ego" she thought to herself

"What are you doing here?' the boy asked

"Well I was looking for someone who could sponsor me" Peter said

"No one sponsors you?" the boy asked surprised

"Not officially, but I have been given money" Peter said

"Well why are you not talking to Boots about this?" the boy asked "you do know that he is the one who handles all of that"

Peter tried to think of a response, but before he could come up with one Wendy came to his rescue

"Peter wants to find his own sponsor, someone that he likes and who can give him a lot of money"

"Yeah like someone rich" Peter said with a smile

"Well I do not know any rich boys"

"But you have seen some?" Wendy asked

"Nope they just keep to themselves, it is not like they want to advertise that they are rich, except that one who was starting trouble"

Peter and Wendy looked at each other, "which one that was starting trouble?" Peter asked

"I forgot his name, Smith something or another, he had pretty much announced himself and tried giving us all a lecture about how what we were doing was wrong"

Peter smiled a bit, if there was one thing he knew about boys it was how much they loved to brag about things, especially exciting things like who it was that was starting trouble.

"Actually you were there that night, everyone saw you pull Mad Dog off that new kid, shame to I actually thought he might actually win for a second"

Peter sighed as he remembered the night he and Slightly first saw each other again in who knows how long

"But besides this one boy there are others who do place bets?" Wendy asked

"Like I said they do not advertise themselves, and it is unlikely they will just admit to anyone who they are, beyond either Boots and Weasel""

"And let me tell you, they know better then to admit it" he added "I mean personally I hate them rich kids. Especially when they think they can come into our domain and tell us how we should be living our lives"

"I know a thing or to about that" Peter said turning his eyes, though not his head to Wendy

"Well thank you for the information" Wendy said as she grabbed Peter's arm and turned to leave. While they were leaving, the boy asked a question of his own.

"So is this your girlfriend?" the boy asked curiously

Peter thought for a second, well Wendy was a girl and they were friends, at least for the time being, so he came to the conclusion that she must be his girlfriend

"Yes" Peter said rather simply

"Nice catch, I can see why you would want a rich kid to sponsor you" the boy said with a smile

Though Wendy would have loved nothing more then to actually be Peter's girlfriend, she didn't make anything out of his answer. If anything she thought that Peter just probably took the word at complete face value.

They walked up to Crutch who was reading a newspaper that had been left behind by one of the people at the track, "I know the name of the rich kid who got killed" he said showing Peter and Wendy the paper with the photo of the boy

"Richard Smith Jr." Wendy said "I have heard of him, his father is one of the biggest clients at my father's bank"

"Have you met him?" Peter asked wondering if Wendy had made the acquittance of any other boys since she had left Neverland

"No, nor have I met his father, but I have heard father talk about him quite a bit" Wendy replied

Peter then decided to take over deciding to show off just how clever he was, and of course there was that general need to always have the spotlight on him in some form

"So this Richard Smith Jr. is at the club and is making bets, but then he decides for himself that everything there is wrong and starts to cause trouble among everyone there"

"I bet Boots and Weasel just loved that" Crutch said

"Is that really enough to kill the boy over?" Wendy asked

"I would kill for less" Peter said quite simply

"Remind me never to get on your bad side" Crutch said hoping that Peter's statement was a joke, then again Crutch never knew Peter back in Neverland.

Just then Peter heard what he thought were the tinkling of bells, he knew this tinkling all to well it was the fairy language, they were trying to contact him.

"I have to go" Peter said looking at his friends

"Is everything all right?" Wendy asked him with a worried look

"Everything is fine" Peter said "I just have some things to take care of is all"

"Yeah and I should be getting home for dinner" Crutch said

Peter smiled at Crutch and then he turned to Wendy, "Wendy would you like me to walk you home?" he asked

Wendy gave Peter a little smile, "I would love that Peter" she said

Peter and Wendy said goodbye to Crutch and then started on there way, Wendy looked at Peter wondering what came up that he had to leave suddenly.

"So what do you need to take care of?" she asked

"Nothing important" Peter said a tone that pretty much told Wendy that the subject was not open to conversation

Wendy wanted to pursue the matter, but she decided not to choosing instead to simply enjoy the moment.

Peter equally decided to enjoy the moment for the reason he was walking Wendy home was because her house was on the way to Kensington Gardens. Peter knew that was the spot where the fairies met whenever they were on Earth and since they were calling him it must be regarding whether or not he could return to Neverland.

Out from behind the nearby bleachers came Mad Dog and Mouse, Mouse kept on trailing Peter and Wendy while Mad Dog went to go meet with Boots. The two boys had heard everything that the three kids had all talked about, they were just as sure as Boots was that trouble was coming and were sure that Weasel was going to give them the okay to do something about it.

To Be Continued


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Peter was pretty much lost in thought while he was walking Wendy home, did he really want to go back to Neverland, did he really want to leave everyone again? He really didn't know and this made him wish that he had never met Wendy again or saved Slightly's life, it would have made this moment much easier.

Peter kept on replaying everything in his head, everything from the moment he first met Wendy and how everything in his life had changed so much because of her. Everything was simple before her and Peter wished that he could return to when things were simpler but he knew that he could not.

Wendy looked at Peter she could see that something was troubling and the interesting thing is that he didn't seem like he was trying to hide it. "Peter are you sure that you are all right?" she asked

"I am fine, just thinking?" Peter said, normally he would have just said that nothing was wrong but for some reason he wanted to answer Wendy openly and honestly. He did not know why, perhaps it was just because he was tired of fighting with her, nobody ever drained him in a fight the way that she did, not even Hook.

"What are you thinking about?" Wendy asked

Peter gave her a look like he really did not want to talk about it, but this time Wendy decided to push the matter. While Peter was still not being open with her at least this time he was not trying to deliberately hide his feelings. Wendy took it as a sign that maybe, even if it was just a little he was starting to open up more and more.

"You know, when a boy walks a girl home it is proper to have a conversation" Wendy told him

"Your world has to many rules" Peter said shaking his head, though Peter knew all to well that every world had its rules

"Oh and does Neverland not have its rules?" Wendy asked him in a rather uncharacteristic child like tone

"Sure it does" Peter said "every world had its rules, Solomon made sure I knew that"

"Who is Solomon?" Wendy asked curiously finally seeing that Peter had finally let something slip about himself. While Wendy was sure that consciously Peter would have probably had his guard up, unconsciously he was opening up, felling more and more comfortable with her. At least enough that he could reveal more about himself.

Peter was not sure why he had just mentioned Solomon to Wendy, maybe it was just his need to brag about himself. If there was one thing Peter Pan loved to talk about it was Peter Pan, well his adventures anyway. When it came to Peter Pan, his past, his life that was always off limits, no one had ever even known about Solomon, the closet thing Peter had to a friend. Though Peter could have just acted like he didn't say anything or make up a lie he still did not want to get into a fight with Wendy or so he told himself.

"Solomon the Crow" Peter said like he was about to tell some grand story "my best friend in Kensington Gardens"

"How could you have been best friends with a crow?" Wendy asked

"I am best friends with a fairy, why not with a crow?" Peter asked back

Wendy had to wonder if Peter was making everything up at this point, but lying was not one of Peter's strong suits. Peter actually seemed even if it be in a rather childish way that he was actually telling the truth, "maybe he really was friends with a crow" Wendy thought to herself

"So was he a nice crow?" Wendy asked

"Solomon was old and wise, he use to watch out for me when I was little" Peter said with a sad little smile

"I never thought you liked anyone who was old Peter?" Wendy said

"Solomon was not a man he was a crow, I wonder if he ever found that piece of land to retire on" Peter wondered aloud

"why would you not know?" Wendy asked him

"Because I left Kensington Gardens for Neverland" Peter replied remembering the day that him and Solomon parted ways

"I wanted Solomon to come with me, but he said his place was there" Peter said sadly

From what Wendy could tell it seemed like Peter had been very close to Solomon even if he was a crow. It seemed to Wendy that Peter had a lot of love for Solomon and not in the way a child loves a pet, probably in the way a grandson would love his grandfather. This all made Peter more understandable but at the same time more mysterious, it was obvious Peter was looking for a connection, yet something was holding him back. But she was happy that she was able to at least get this much out of Peter, John was right, he surprised her yet again, he slowly showed her the side of him that could love.

"You must miss him?" Wendy asked him kindly

Peter looked at her, though his mind told to make up something that showed that not having Solomon didn't bother him, he words said something else. "Yeah I do miss him, a lot"

Just then the two approached Wendy's house, "well here we are" Peter said, just then John and Michael came outside. They had managed to spot Peter from the window they could not believe that it was really him and that he was walking Wendy home

"Peter" they both said at once when they came outside

Peter looked at the two boys though he had known that they were Wendy's brothers, he had completely forgotten there names, "hi um, Wendy's brother's" Peter said rather sheepishly, he didn't want to humiliate himself, or to offend Wendy.

Luckily Wendy was anything but offended, she really was not surprised Peter did not remember her brothers, she was actually impressed that she even remembered there faces. "John and Michael" she whispered in his ear

"John and Michael" Peter said acting as if he had just suddenly remembered though both boys had seen Wendy whisper in his ear, but like Wendy decided not make a big deal out of it.

"So you really are back" John said with a smile

"I am just taking some time off from Neverland, change of scenery for a bit" Peter said hoping that they would just except his answer

While like Wendy, neither John and Michael thought Peter's statement was either not truthful or very well thought out, they choose not to press anything. They could see that Peter and Wendy were on common ground so why ruin it for either of them.

"Well it was nice to see you again" John said then he motioned to his brother to come inside

Just then Peter remembered about what was going on with there mother and while it was not his custom to offer good will to a grown up he decided it might be nice for the boys to hear. Especially given that no one had comforted Peter when he had lost his mother, though Solomon did try he really did not know how to help the boy.

Solomon had warned Peter not to wait to long before deciding whether or not to go home, he told him that not everyone gets a second chance. Solomon really did not want to say I told you so to Peter, especially when Peter had been crying for days and days. So he just did his best to try and take Peter's mind off everything, often talking about his retirement plan. Of course it was a fairy named Tinkerbell who had been sent by the fairy court who offered Peter a way to escape his pain, Neverland.

"I um, I heard about your mother" Peter said with a rather uncharacteristic melancholy tone

"You did" Michael asked not sure what Peter was going to say next

"Yeah I hope that she is going to be all right" Peter said rather kindly, John and Michael looked at each other shocked and then at Peter with sad smiles

"Thank you" John said "That means a lot to us"

"I knew there was a boy of feeling in there" Wendy thought to herself. But Wendy also worried, she was afraid that whatever steps Peter might be taking forward would be lost if went back to Neverland. Rather then tell Peter of her concerns she decided instead to give something that might help him keep his feet on the ground. Without warning she gave Peter a kiss, not a kiss on the lips, but a peak on the cheek since they were only friends for the time being.

Peter jumped when when he felt Wendy kiss him, he turned to her completely bewildered, "what was that for?" he asked

"For showing how not deficient you really are" Wendy told him with a smile "and I hope that never changes" she said as she followed John and Michael inside

Peter watched Wendy go inside with a smile on his face; though it wasn't a cocky or devilishly grin, it was just a regular shy smile a boy his age would have when kissed by a girl he liked. Just then Peter's smile faded when he remembered that he was being called by the fairies to the Kensington Gardens, he felt at least obligated to appear.

After sneaking into the gardens after lock out time when the magical creatures would often come out and meet with each other, Peter looked around for any sign of any fairies. Just then a bright light started coming towards him very fast and circled Peter a few times before stopping and allowing Peter to see who it was.

"Tinkerbell" Peter said with a smile quickly recognizing his fairy

"So have had enough, are you ready to return to Neverland"

In the past Peter would have probably answered that question with a quick yes, but he hesitated not really sure how to answer

Tinkerbell looked at Peter curiously she assumed that if Peter was ready he would have just answered her quickly, but the fact that he had to stand there and think was not a good sign.

"Is that a no?" she asked him

"Well" Peter said still not sure how to answer

"Peter what does this world really have to offer you anyway, school, an office"

"Feelings" Peter said still a bit dazed from the kiss Wendy gave him

Aside from Wendy Peter also thought a bit about Crutch, the boy had befriended him, he had been the first friend he had since Solomon. Peter had the Lost Boys, but that was it, he had them, they worshiped him, did what he told them, they were not his friends. Slightly might been the closet when it was just the two of them, but even then Peter kept at him at a distance. Worshiping someone was not the same as having someone as a friend.

"Forget Feelings" Tinkerbell told him "you are Peter Pan, the eternal child, forever innocent and heartless"

"Heartless?" Peter asked "I am not heartless Tink, I was never heartless"

Peter thought some more, he was not heartless, he had tried to return to his mother because he loved her and wanted to be with her. But after her and his father had broken his heart he had shut himself off, not to mention it was only made worse by Solomon not coming with him. Peter had decided not to feel again, he never wanted to feel again, but who was he kidding, once you have feelings you can not just make them go away.

He should have learned that the second he saw Wendy, he had felt for her from the first moment he saw her. But feelings were so painful for him, yet what she wanted to give him was what he needed, he did not realize it until right now. He did not want to Wendy to leave, Hook even managed to use her against him in there final confrontation. It was the moment that Peter really knew that no matter how hard he tried he could not just stop feeling, he may be naive and ignorant but he was not heartless.

This was why he never wanted to grow up, because he did not want to feel and get hurt. It may have initially started out with always wanting to be a boy and have fun, but that changed when Peter realized how much he missed his mother. He himself even started to wonder if grown up life was not as bad as he thought, if there was not more. For the first time Peter could see it all, a perfect pattern right in front of him, all the loss he experienced when he was little and how it made him when he got older.

"You have changed" Tinkerbell told him "perhaps you need more time to think about things"

"Tink wait" Peter said making her stop in her tracks

"Before you go I need you to do me a favor" Peter told her

"Favor, what favor?" Tinkerbell asked

"One that I hope I am not going to regret" Peter told her

To be continued


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Tinkerbell flew through the skies and had used all of her fairy strength to carry a sack with her, a sack that was filled with a special kind of powder. As far as she had known no one had known that she had it and if they did and what it was going to be used for, Peter would never be able to come back to Neverland.

Peter waited in the gardens, he spent his time pacing back and fourth, he had no idea how much time he had and if this was even going to work, but he had to try. Peter wanted to do this for Wendy and for brothers, he had to for no child should have to lose there mother. Just then Peter saw Tink coming and he hoped that Tink did him the favor he asked of her. While Tinkerbell said that she would do this for him, he knew Tink all to well, especially how spiteful she could be.

Tinkerbell appeared in front of him with the sack, Peter could see it clearly and smiled at her. "Thank you" Peter said kindly

"You know if you do this chances are there is going to be no coming back to Neverland"

Peter did not need for Tinkerbell to tell him what the consequences for his actions might be. He knew all to well that he would probably not to let back into Neverland if he did this for Wendy and her family.

"I think you are making a mistake" Tinkerbell then told him, Peter turned to look at her

Maybe Peter was making a mistake, he really didn't know, he didn't know anything. For the first time Peter truly faced an uncertain future, unlike Neverland where he knew what to expect. He knew how to fight pirates and Indians, he knew how to deal with fairies and other magical creatures, everything in Neverland was easy. In this world anything could happen, there was very little way of knowing what was going to come next. But maybe that was the adventure of it all, maybe that is way living was an adventure because you could not know what the future held, everything was in some way new.

But it was not like Peter did not know all this already, he knew that to live would be an awfully big adventure. What made it harder was that he had no one to guide him, every child has there parent. And even if they do not they have some kind of adult figure to watch over them, the only real connection Peter had was to a girl his age. Peter believed that every child should grow up with someone they could never see themselves without, the lost boys never had mothers or had forgotten there's. It was easier for them to just except the Darlings as there parents, Peter could not pretend like that. His parents were always going to be lost to him and nothing would ever change that fact or take away all the pain he felt. For him, all of this made taking this adventure ten times scarier then it was for anyone even for Wendy.

"If I am" Peter said finally answering Tinkerbell "then I suppose it is one that I am going to have to live with"

Tinkerbell had to accept it, she had lost Peter, but at least she could do this one final thing for him. But nothing could really stop the anger inside her, Wendy had won and she hated every moment of it. Tinkerbell was now thinking of ways that she could pry them apart, but then her feeling changed. She could see that Peter was going with his heart and she should not get in the way of that, but that did not mean she was not going to get into Wendy's face about it either, oh no, Wendy would be made fully aware of Tink's displeasure at her.

Peter with Tinkerbell in tow headed back to the Darling house, Peter had thought about asking Tinkerbell to give the powder to Mrs. Darling, but then decided to do it himself. Peter felt that he needed to speak with her. Not to mention that as a grown up Mary might just say that she doesn't believe in fairies and the last thing Peter wanted was for Tink to get killed, again. After Tinkerbell dosed him with fairy dust Peter then floated up into the air, he looked through the various windows until he found her, she was lying in bed by herself with her window open.

Peter slowly came inside and Mary slowly started to look up at him, every sense told Mary that she must have been dreaming, either that or the end was finally here. Mary hoped it was the former, she was not ready to leave this Earth just yet, she had so much she wanted to do and see, including all of her children grow up.

"Are you an angel?" Mary asked softly still not sure if she was dreaming or if she was dying

Peter smiled a bit at the comment, he had been called many things, but angel had never been one of them. Ironic that the first time he was referred to as one was by a grown woman, a mother who's children he had once stolen from her.

"Are you waiting for one?" Peter asked looking back towards the open window

Mary did her best to try and get a better look at who it was she was talking to, as soon as he came closer to her and Mary had a chance to see his face she realized she was speaking to a boy she had never seen before. But what was a mysterious boy doing here in her bedroom and what did he want? Just then a realization hit Mary. "Could this be" she asked herself, "was this him, was this Peter Pan"

If it was Peter Pan there was only one thing that he could want and he could not have it, her children belong to her even the lost boys who they adopted. 'You can not have them" Mary said "They are my family I need them" she said with as much spirit as she could

Peter did not understand what she was saying at first, but once it hit him he could not blame her for her statement, for it was true that Peter had spent much time taking children from there families.

"I did not come to take them from you" Peter said "I came to give you back to them"

Mary was uncertain of what to make his statement, what she had been told about Peter Pan he did anything but fancy grown ups. She looked at his face trying to get any indication whether of not the boy was playing a cruel trick on her but from what she could tell he looked very honest and sad. She had never seen so much sadness in a child before, it almost broke her heart and she like Wendy now had to wonder what could have happened to make a child that way. But more importantly was why Peter Pan would want to help her and how was he going to help her.

"Why would you want to help me?" Mary asked him quietly

"Because I saw your children and my boys fight to come here" Peter said "If they lose you it will destroy them, just like it did to me"

Peter really had no idea why he said what he just said, especially to a mother of all people. But Mary was different for Wendy was not the only reason that Peter had come back, Mary was the other. Peter had believed that mothers were overrated persons, he believed that all grown ups were overrated, that all they cared about were themselves and that children were insignificant to them. What he saw the night he bought everyone home changed him forever. She had remembered them, she welcomed them with open arms, she even waited for them, kept there beds made. And then Mary took it one step further, she became mother to the lost boys, everything that his own mother would not do for him. That night had changed Peter, it showed him that everything he believed was wrong, his mother may have been overrated, but that was his mother not all mothers.

Mary showed Peter Pan that all grown ups were not the same, that maybe, just maybe, Peter had a choice. He could be the type of grown up he wanted to be, he did not have to be one who de-valued or forgot their child, if Mary and George were not, then he did not have to be either. Even looking at George the way he welcomed the lost boys, it looked liked there was almost a child in there, a boy in a man's body, maybe he worked in an office but Peter knew the spirit.

Mary was taken aback at Peter's statement, she could see just like her daughter that there was some kind of inner pain in there, "is that what happened to you?" Mary asked

Peter solemnly nodded, he was not planning on going into the details of his past, at least not with her. As much as Peter wished that Mary would have been his mother, Peter had resided himself that the love of parent to child was gone for him. It was the one joy that he would never have, but that was what Wendy did for him, she showed him that there are other joys to have, you can lose one and find another.

Wendy was helping to put all her brothers to bed, since her mother was to sick to do it herself. She tucked them all in and gave them a kiss on the cheek one by one and they all smiled at her. After she was done she headed to her room and she crawled into her bed when the the door flew open and Tinkerbell suddenly appeared and flew around her very quickly. Once Tink stopped moving and Wendy saw her clearly she was shocked, what was Tinkerbell doing here and then she thought that maybe Tink was telling her that Peter was leaving. Wendy had so hoped that Peter would not leave, especially with everything that they were doing together, she wanted him to stay with her and with her family. Tink started speaking in her fairy language and it sounded like she was quite angry, Wendy could not understand a word that she was saying.

Luckily Tootles had spotted the light of Tinkerbell flying by and decided to follow it wondering if a fairy had come into the house. If there was a fairy here did that mean that Peter was also here? He crawled out of his bed and when he came by Wendy's room he saw that the door had been open and that there was a fairy speaking to Wendy. When Tootles came inside to ask Wendy if everything was all right, he quickly noticed Tinkerbell, he wondered if she had bought on any news on Peter or Nibs.

"Hello Tink" Tootles said in his jolly tone "What are you doing here, did Peter send you?"

Tinkerbell then flew to up Tootles and spoke to him in her angry tone, Wendy looked at them. Tootles could tell from Wendy curious and worried expression that she wanted to know what Tinkerbell was saying. Tootles decided to translate for her, "she says that she hates you, that she really hates you"

Tootles listened in some more "But that this is not her choice, it is Peter's and Peter has chosen you"

Wendy was speechless, "are, are you saying that Peter is going to stay" she said as a smile crept on her face

Tootles listened in some more "well Peter has not made his official statement, she says that she could see it in his eyes and his voice, that you have indeed won, that he belongs to you"

Wendy looked at Tinkerbell, she did not want to think that Peter belonged to her, Peter was not just something that she could claim as her own. Nor did she think of this as being any kind of competition, Wendy loved Peter and wanted him to stay, but she wanted Peter to love her back. But she could see the angry and sadness in Tink, it was similar to when everyone was leaving Peter in Neverland. She did not want to hurt anyone, but everyone had to do what was right for them. At the time Wendy did not believe that Peter really wanted to stay in Neverland, she believed that it was his greatest pretend and now Peter it seemed was seeing it himself and Wendy couldn't be more proud of him. But it did not change the fact that Wendy still felt sorry for Tink.

"Oh Tink" Wendy said "I am sorry"

Tink gave more ramblings to which Tootles translated for her, "no your not"

"Tink" Wendy said trying to find some words to say to the fairy, but what could she say, especially since she believed Peter was finally doing the right thing

Tink made one more final statement which Tootles also translated for her "as long as you know what happens if you hurt him" she then imitated the motion of slitting someone's throat and quickly flew out of the window.

Wendy thought about calling after her but decided to let her go. She was then relished in the news that Peter was going to stay and grow up. Wendy then started to daydream about her and Peter being older and dancing together at Wendy's coming out as a young woman. Wendy couldn't keep herself from getting right out of bed and dancing right in the center of the room, with her eyes closed she waltzed as if her and Peter were actually dancing.

Tootles watched Wendy rather curiously, he had never seen her pretend like this before, nor had he ever seen her this happy before. He was going to tell her that he was going off to bed but then decided to leave her be, she had to come out of it sometime. Wendy continued to waltz around her room some more, she could see her and Peter dancing in her head and oh how it just made her smile as she twirled around. Just then she heard barking from Nana outside and it woke her up from her fantasy, and then another thought hit her, this one had nothing to do with Peter directly but it was still important.

Wendy's mother was still sick and Nibs was still in jail. George had been doing all he could to get him a good attorney but they just did not have the money for it. Wendy just like Peter was certain that Boots and Weasel had to be behind all of this, but how were they going to prove it. Was there even anything they could do to prove it? This made Wendy worry all over again, the woes of life just never end for a person. Wendy crawled back into bed, with no idea what they were going to do. More importantly was that she did not want her mother to die when Nibs was in jail. When her mother's time does come she wanted her to have all of her children by her side.

After giving Mary the healing powder, Peter flew back with Tink to Kensington Gardens. Tink asked him one more time if he was sure that this is what he really wanted and reminded him he could not go back once he got to old. Peter nodded his head, maybe he was wrong but for some reason this just all felt right to him. Tink who still wanted to hold on hope that maybe Peter might change his mind told him she would come back at least one more time to check on him. Peter nodded and with that Tinkerbell flew up into the sky and Peter watched her go. This was anything but easy for him, part of him wanted to sore up into the sky with her but just like Solomon and Wendy before him he felt that maybe his place was really here. Not that it made it any easier for him, and it probably wasn't any easier on them.

Wendy had finally managed to fall asleep but she was awoken by the sound of someone hurling rocks at her window. She immediately thought this must have been Peter, "that boy still has so much to learn" she thought to herself with a smile. She looked out the window but she couldn't see anyone, so she decided to come outside. Of course it was late and she had planned on telling Peter it was better for them to talk tomorrow. She lit a candle and came outside in only her slippers and nightgown despite all the snow that was on the ground.

She looked around for Peter but she could not see anyone, "Peter?" she asked coming down the stairs. Just then she got grabbed from behind and a large hand covered her mouth to keep her from screaming. Another figure came rushing out and picked Wendy up by her feet to keep her from getting away. Wendy did everything she could to try and escape her captures but it was no use, she had been overpowered and she was being carried to a nearby carriage.

"Tie her up" Weasel said "and try not to make to much noise." Mad Dog and Muscles forced Wendy down and they quickly tied her hands and feet. Mad Dog then lifted her head still gagging her with his hand, he let it go so that Muscles could quickly put a gag around her mouth. Wendy made an attempt to scream, but Muscles was to quick and by the time she had gotten it out it was already muffled. Just then Mad Dog pulled a knife and held it to her throat, "make even one sound and I'll slit your pretty little throat" he told her menacingly. Wendy listened and calm down, she had no idea what to do, it was like being captured by Hook all over again. She figured that these must be the boys from the fight club, she looked over and saw the man at the front of the carriage ordering his horses to start moving and she assumed that this must have been Weasel, the old man who ran the fights.

"What about Pan?" Mad Dog asked

"We got the girl" Weasel said "I'm sure once Pan knows he will come to us and we will be waiting for him" he said as the carriage took them back to the slums

To Be Continued

Note: Sorry for this being so long, I'm still amazed at how I managed to write. Also I don't know if the daydream/waltzing around the room was a bit childish for Wendy's character, but I wanted her to have a nice fluff moment before being captured by the villains this time.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Peter headed back to the homeless shelter for boys, a place where street boys like himself could come and sleep. After everything that he had been through he really needed himself a good night rest. His mind was full of questions the most important of all was where do I go now. Should he stay with the Darlings, would they even want to take him in? Or should he just remain as a child of the streets? Peter enjoyed having his freedom and independence, it was the thing he had gotten use to the most in Neverland. Peter thought that the best thing to do was to just sleep on it all.

It had already been pretty late by time he arrived at the shelter, Peter just had to hope that there was still a spot for him. Peter arrived and the guard to the shelter who was already nearing old age was already fast asleep himself right at his post. Peter thought about waking him up to ask if there was still a bed left, but decided with a shrug to just check himself. Luckily there had been one more bed left open, Peter could tell because it was still made, but then again the person just might not be using the blanket. Peter then quickly went to check the restroom to see, finding it unoccupied told him that the bed was indeed his so he quickly went over. After taking off his jacket, sweater and shoes, he laid down and drifted to sleep.

As Peter was sleeping he was woken by the sound of voices, most of them annoyed. They were all follow boys who were telling someone to keep quiet and that they were all trying to sleep. Despite all the commotion Peter just closed his eyes and did his best to just try and go back to sleep.

The person who was calling out was getting closer and closer to him. Close enough so that Peter despite his attempts to return to his slumber could actually hear who the person was calling out for.

"Peter, Peter Pan"

Peter eyes opened at the sound of his name being called he then rose up and saw the dark figure looking around, Peter then also noticed what looked liked the outline of a cane, "Crutch" Peter thought to himself, "what is he doing here, he has a home" Peter decided that the best thing to do was to grab him and take him out into the hall.

He had mentioned to his friend that he often slept here, now the question was why was he here? Peter knew that this was often the time that children went to sleep so to him the whole thing was pretty strange and he really had no idea what to make of it. Peter got up, put his shoes on and in only his wife beater grabbed Crutch and took him out into the hallway forgetting about his bad foot.

"Not so rough" Crutch told him

"What are you doing here?" Peter asked sternly

Just then thanks to the lights that were in the hallway Peter finally managed to take a better look at his friend, what he saw shocked him. Crutch had been completely beaten up, a giant bandage was covering what appeared to be a broken noise and his lip had been busted. Peter looked his friend over not sure what to say or do, "who could have done this to you?" he asked himself. More importantly why would anyone want to do this to him, from what Peter could tell Crutch was completely harmless. Then Peter thought that perhaps Crutch had been robbed again, but if that was the case why come here? Was Crutch perhaps angry because Peter was not there this time to help, well Peter couldn't help that. Even when he was in Neverland he couldn't be everywhere at once, that is why he always taught everyone to fight. Not to mention that but Peter was also helping Mary, so he as far as Peter was concerned he had a perfectly good reason for not being there to help Crutch this time.

"What happened?" Peter finally managed to ask

"Boots" Crutch replied "him and two others, they showed up at my place, they asked my mother if I could come outside"

Peter listened, why would Boots even go to Crutch's tenement? Just then it hit him, Boots must have figured out what they had been up to, Peter should have known that he would have found out eventually. Though thinking ahead was not something Peter was ever really good at, he just liked to live for the moment. Just then Peter remembered about Crutch's family, they had seemed pretty nice and Peter didn't want anything bad to happen to them.

"Your family?" Peter asked "are they?"

"They are fine" Crutch said with a slight smile happy that Peter was thinking about his family. "But they said they would come back and hurt them if I did not found you"

Crutch looked liked there was more he wanted to say. After years of dealing with the lost boys Peter could tell when someone had something they did or didn't want to tell him. Of course Peter still being Peter couldn't keep himself from asking what else was going on.

"Why do I get the feeling there is more going on" Peter told him rather sternly

Crutch nodded and then pulled something from his pocket, "they told me to give this to you" he said handing Peter the object

It didn't take Peter long to recognize what Crutch had put in his hand. It was the kiss, the kiss that he had given to Wendy, along with the chain that Wendy used to wear it around her neck. There was no need to spell anything out for Peter at this point, it was clear, Wendy had been kidnapped, this time by Boots and Weasel. Peter could feel the anger swirling up inside of him. This was no game, no adventure, Peter Pan was on the warpath. No one was going to hurt his Wendy, no one and anyone who tried was going to face his wrath ten fold. Peter who was still being ruled by his anger and without really thinking about what he was doing grabbed Crutch and demanded to know where they had taken Wendy.

"I'm on your side remember" Crutch told him "calm down"

Peter hearing Crutch even through his rage let him go, for a boy who often liked to claim how he had no feelings, he did a poor job of not being ruled by them.

"I'm sorry" Peter told him doing his best to calm down

"It's all right mate" Crutch said forgiving his friend, he himself had remembered seeing the acorn around Wendy's neck, so like Peter he didn't need to think hard about whey they had done. Of course Peter's reaction to the whole thing also pretty much confirmed how Peter felt about Wendy, there was no doubt in his mind now. And there was no denying for it Peter, anyone who would be ready to kill for someone has to have some kind of feelings for them.

"There are some lines that should not be crossed and Boots just crossed it" he added

Peter nodded and Crutch then told him that Wendy had been taken to the old warehouse that was near the fight club, he also warned Peter that Boots and Weasel were going to be waiting for him. As far as Peter was concerned there was nothing that was going to stop him from getting Wendy back. He was going to strike down whoever Boots threw at him. Without a word to his friend he quickly went back inside and grabbed his jacket, it did not take him long to find it since (thanks to Neverland) he was use to seeing in the dark. Though Peter who was still not as cocky as he use to be when he was back in Neverland turned to his friend one final time before heading out the door.

"You be careful" Peter told him, hinting in his own voice that he was not sure whether or not he was actually going to come back. Though Peter himself had faced much worse then this before, him and everyone else battled Hook and his whole crew on the Jolly Roger. But the longer Peter stayed here being forced to survive on his own without the help of anyone but himself, the more he became aware of the dangers around him. It also made him very aware of the skills he had picked up in Neverland, skills that he never really thought much of while he was there, but had all served him very well here. Peter was no longer the cocky boy of Neverland, he may still have his moments every now and then, but he was much more cautious about everything around him, or at least he was aware of it.

Crutch watched him go, from all the anger that he had seen on Peter's face he knew something big was coming down. He also thought that Peter probably did not have much by way of any actual plan, beyond kick down the door and start fighting. Crutch decided to try and help his friend, he had been told by Boots that Peter was to come alone, but hopefully Peter could last long enough so that Crutch could at least get a little help.

Wendy who had been tied to a chair in the old warehouse glared angrily at Boots who for the most part was just ignoring her, but still kept on eye on her. Whenever Wendy was sure that Boots had completely taken his eyes off of her, she would struggle against the ropes that were binding her, often with no use. Those boys had tied her up nice and tight. She also knew that they were planning a trap for Peter, and Peter could not fly or had any magical powers. This made her scared out of her mind for what was to happen when he did come. And it was not in anyway helped that unless she found a way to untie herself all she could do was sit and watch, she hated feeling completely helpless.

Boots and the other boys had been left to handle things by Weasel who wanted no part of this. Though it was not because he thought it was wrong, but it was because he did not want anything coming back to him. After bringing her to the warehouse he headed back to the club and left Boots to take care of Peter and Wendy. Boots had the other boys scattered around the warehouse waiting for Peter to appear, all kept a look out for him and waited for a signal from Boots should Peter manage to slip by them.

Boots who had noticed Wendy's angry glares, just smirked to himself. "Stupid rich kids" he thought to himself, though he knew that Wendy's family wasn't rich, him and Weasel had been doing there homework. But they had a house in a fairly nice neighborhood so as far as Boots was concerned Wendy and her brothers were way better then off then pretty much every family in this neighborhood were. He finally turned to Wendy deciding to strike up a conversation with her, "you know if your stupid brother and his friend had not come here trying to play bad boys, you would not be in this mess now would you?" he asked with a smirk.

Wendy turned to him, at first she thought of not even dignifying him with a response, but Wendy knew that Boots had other boys scattered around all waiting for Peter. Wendy thought that if she could distract Boots with conversation maybe she might be able to help Peter, at least give him the chance to catch them off guard.

"They were trying to help our mother" Wendy retorted back

"Aw" Boots said mockingly "that is so sweet"

Wendy looked at him and she really could not believe what was in front of her. Not even Peter or Hook at there worse were nearly this cruel, Wendy had believed that she had finally met someone who truly had no feelings. Someone who cared for nothing or no one but themselves, and she couldn't keep herself but being anything but disgusted.

"I wonder what your mother would think if she could see you now?"

"That is a wonderful question" Boots said still in his mocking tone "I would ask but I have no idea who she is, I suppose that is why I am so mean"

"I have met plenty of boys without mothers and none of them are as horrid as you"

Boots was not deterred for one second, if anything he liked himself just the way he was. And why not, he had power and he had money, those were the only things that mattered to him. Just then Boots decided to give miss high and mighty here a taste of her own medicine.

"Let me ask you something, ah Wendy is it. Have you ever tasted desperate before, I mean really.

Wendy just looked at him not liking for one second where Boots was heading with this line of questioning.

"Well I have, when I was little I was sleeping on the cold hard streets and eating what other people threw away. In fact in order to make a living I spent my time cleaning the boots of the all rich folks and I was lucky if they even gave me anything for my work."

"So I suppose that is way they call you Boots?" Wendy asked

Boots nodded in agreement "and you want to know why I keep that name?" he asked

Wendy simply nodded in agreement doing her best to keep the conversation going for as long as she could

"I keep it because it reminds me of where I came from, and what I had to go through. I got the chance to make something more of myself and I took it, so I have to have a cold heart, but it is a cold world, especially when your poor and have nothing" Boots said raising his voice at the final part

While Wendy had never herself experienced was it was like to be poor and destitute, she knew that survival was anything but easy. Those who were poor often broke the laws because they were desperate. This was something that Wendy could understand, she could even sympathize with it. But she was not about to believe for a second that Boots was doing this out of desperation, this was all about greed. Maybe it started out of desperation, maybe Boots was once an innocent child that Weasel took advantage of, but he knew exactly what he was doing now.

"I can understand desperation" Wendy told him "But you are greedy, not desperate"

As much as Boots did not want to admit it he knew that Wendy was right, not that he really cared. Out on the streets it was survival of the fittest and whoever had money was destined to survive, or so Boots told himself. But Boots's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of something falling over he then turned around, "who's there?" he demanded

Just then Peter finally stepped out and stood in front of Boots, Boots smirked when he saw him, "about time you showed up"

Peter looked at Wendy and gave her a reassuring smile, telling her that everything would be all right. Wendy smiled back at Peter though she was as worried as she could be, she tried to tell herself that somehow Peter would find a way to get them out of this.

"Give me the girl and I'll let you walk out of here" Peter told Boots angrily

"Let me think about that" Boots said. Boots then gave a loud whistle and a large group of boys which included Mad Dog, Snake, Mouse, Muscles and a few others all came out. Each one of them was all armed with bats, chains, pipes and Peter saw Muscles put on a pair of brass knuckles.

Rather then be deterred by the site Peter just told himself that he was still Peter Pan. And when it came to fighting he was still Peter Pan, the boy who cut of the hand of Captain Hook and threw it to the crocodile. Peter took off his jacket and he was wearing his old belt, the one which use to hold his flute and his weapons and Peter had come prepared. He had his dagger on one side and his flower designed sword on the other, the same sword he wielded against Hook in there final battle.

"You boys want to play with the best there ever was" Peter said drawing his sword "lets play"

To be Continued

Note: I was going to make this one long chapter which had the entire climax. But I decided to make it two since it would be one very long chapter and I don't think I could read and correct that much, at least not yet :) And just a nice bit of personal info, of all the swords Peter wields in the movie, the sword used in the final battle is my personal favorite. So yes it is the sword that is likely to show up in every Pan fic I write.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Boots looked at Peter, of all the things Peter might be using as a weapon a sword was not the first thing that came to mind. First of all where did he even get a sword from and did he actually know how to use it. Peter was something that Boots could not figure out. Though it was a pretty common occurrence, Hook was often baffled by what exactly Peter was. It was a mystery that even Peter himself often struggled with, though Peter more then anyone had the best grip on it. Boots was now sure that Peter was not an ordinary street boy. Peter was not a rich kid either, he knew the ways of the streets, he knew how to survive. But Peter's moves in the ring were not your average brawling moves, not with all those timed flips he did and the way he would often dodge his opponents. Boots also had to wonder where Peter came from, it certainly wasn't from England, not with his lack of an English accent.

"None of that matters" Boots said "he still can't take on all of us, we'll kill him" he thought to himself with a smile

Boots wasn't the only one slightly imitated by Peter's weapon of choice, all the boys were. They had been street brawlers beating up each other with whatever they could get there hands on. A sword was not something that you just found lying on the street.

Peter looked at all the confused and taken aback facial expressions. While Peter had planned on busting the heads of pretty much every one in the warehouse (with the exception of Wendy), he quickly saw that the boys had no idea who or what they were faced with. Peter then decided that this would good time to see if he could lower the violence level just a little bit. Not so much of his sake but for Wendy's, Peter really did not want to have all the fun without her, or so he told himself.

But at the same time Peter knew that this encounter was probably gonna a bit more bloody then with the pirates. This was not completely obsessed with Good form Captain Hook, these boys were every bit as ungallant as Peter himself was. Not to mention that as boys Peter would fight them straight on, no simply knocking them into objects or tripping them over things, Peter was up against his own kind. And while Peter may have been able to trick and outsmart pirates easily, he knew when it was time for a real fight. And while games and fantasy are nice he was not sure if this was something he really wanted Wendy to be witnessing, nor did she want to.

"All right boys" Peter said with a smile "feel like backing off," Peter pointed his sword at the other boys some of who actually took a step back

Wendy was amazed, the Peter she remembered was more then ready to run threw Red Handed Jill just on the grounds for being a pirate. Not to mention he picked up and sword and had quite maliciously fought her and held his sword to her throat. In other words Peter was one who tended to be rather prone to violence and for all the wrong reasons, but it almost seemed like Peter was trying to avoid conflict. There was no other way to put it, Peter was growing up, even if it was little by little it was still happening. Now all either of them could do was hope that just maybe the boys might be imitated enough not to try and attack him.

"We still outnumber him" Mad Dog screamed throwing one of his chains at Peter.

Peter quickly blocked it with his sword "Oh Well" Peter quickly thought to himself "I tried"

Just then Muscles came at him with his bat, Peter ducked under. He then struck Muscles with the back of his sword knocking him square on his face. Mouse came up on Peter's side and managed to slice Peter's arm with his knife, Peter winched slightly, but managed to avoid getting sliced again by taking a swing with his sword making mouse jump back out of reach.

Just then two boys armed with steel pipes tried charging Peter from behind. Peter was quick flipping right over them, one turned around and Peter sliced him across his chest. The other then raised his arm to try and hit Peter with his pipe, but Peter quickly blocked him with his sword disarming him and then sliced his arm.

Muscles charged at Peter again with his bat, trying to strike him in the face with it. Peter quickly grabbed it, "nice bat" he said with a smile, before hitting Muscles in the face with his own weapon breaking his noise in the process.

Mad Dog and Snake then cornered Peter near a staircase which Peter quickly back flipped right onto. Mad Dog quickly ran to the stairs in hopes that he could strike Peter with his chains, but instead was met with Peter's foot right into his face. Snake then started throwing punches at Peter his fists armed with brass knuckles. Peter managed to dodge every swing that Snake threw at him, but Mouse made himself useful once again. He quickly pulled out his knife and using his small size quickly managed to slice Peter again this time across his chest. "I'm going to cut you up" Mouse said as Peter fell back a bit having been wounded, but still kept up the fight, blocking both Mouse and Snake with his sword.

Boots watched as the fight went on. He should have known better then to underestimate Peter, unlike Weasel who was sure that they could take him. Then again Weasel spent all his time up in his office either taking bets or counting winnings, what did he know. But Boots was not about to be bought down by some strange boy with a sword for Boots knew there was something mightier then a sword, and it wasn't a pen.

Boots quickly pulled out a revolver, he did his best to aim right at Peter's head. Of course aside from the fact that Boots had never really fired a pistol or the that Peter wasn't standing still long enough for Boots to get a clear shot, Boots made one other mistake. Boots knew what it was as soon as his foot got stomped extremely hard. Wendy had seen Boots pull out the gun, she had already lost Peter once she was not going to lose him again, especially not to scum like this. "That boy belongs to me" Wendy thought to herself as she used all her strength to stomp on Boots foot with her tied feet. As Boots screamed out in pain he then turned to Wendy who then quickly kicked him hard in the stomach, with Boots doubled over in pain Wendy managed to then kick in the face. Boots quickly fell backwards and hit his head hard on the floor, Wendy looked down at him bewildered and then with a little smile she said in her dignified tone "serves you right for trying to hurt the ones I care for."

Mad Dog and Muscles both managed to get back up again. They both charged at Peter from behind, Peter quickly turned around and managed to slice Mad Dog right in the leg and hit Muscles once again in the nose with the back of his sword. Unfortunately as fast as Peter had managed to be, Mouse had enough time to act, this time he managed to make one big slice right along Peter's back. Peter fell down and then Snake hit him in the stomach with his brass knuckles. Peter coughed up blood as soon as he hit the ground, as Wendy saw the whole thing she quickly started to struggle against her ropes again.

This was everything that Wendy was afraid of, Peter getting killed and her not being able to do anything to save him. All she could do was keep on trying to find a way to loosen her ropes but, she really didn't think that Peter had all that much time. But she could not give up either, she did not come all this way just to see Peter get killed or for Nibs to rot in prison.

Luckily enough Peter was about to surprise Wendy yet again. Calling up all the remaining strength that he had left Peter managed to quickly grab Snake's leg just when he was about to kick him in the stomach. He then quickly managed to aim Snake right into Mouse, and unfortunately for Mouse, Snake got his nick name due to how tall he was for his age.

This was not the Jolly Roger and Peter Pan was not someone you could get the best of easily. The only reason that Hook even came close to besting him at all was because he managed to make Peter believe that Wendy would grow up and forget about him, just like his mother had before her. Hook reminded him about his past and made him see a grim future of the past repeating, this time with the only human Peter had managed to make a connection with. It was why Peter came back as Peter knew that everything Hook said could come true even if she had given him her kiss. He was his mother's son and that was not enough to keep her from having another son and forgetting him. This simple fact made Peter emotional, it made Neverland unbalanced and it is what got him banished by the fairy council.

Peter may have lost Neverland but he got his Wendy back, she was not going anywhere and neither was he, and it was all the strength he needed. After making Snake fall on top of Mouse making them both drop there weapons in the process, Peter then slowly got up. He initially picked up his sword but seeing how all the boys had pretty much been unarmed by this point, he dropped it deciding to make it a fairer fight. He then looked at Snake and Mouse and with a smile and motioned with his hand to come and attack him. Both boys quickly charged at Peter, Snake threw a swing at him but Peter elbowed his stomach and then headbutted him right in the face. Mouse picked up his knife again but this time Peter took out his back up weapon, his dagger and blocked Mouse's attack with it. He then quickly hit Mouse in the torso with his knee, and then kicked him the face. Mouse hit his head against the stairs and was knocked out cold. Peter then turned to see Mad Dog trying to get back up again, this time Peter just looked at him completely bewildered.

"You have got to be kidding me" Peter thought to himself "does this one not know what he is beaten?"

"Considering all the times I have beaten you in the ring" Peter finally said "you really think that is a good idea?"

Mad Dog along with the two other boys that Peter had sliced earlier finally decided enough is enough. They all took off as fast as they could out of the warehouse. Peter smiled after them, "good boys" he thought to himself, he had emerged victorious and of course still being Peter Pan he couldn't have been more proud of himself. Peter with all the strength he had left gave off a loud crow, after he was done and the pain of all his wounds was finally starting to catch up with him, especially now that his adrenaline rush was wearing off, he heard Wendy call to him.

"Peter?" Wendy asked "If it is not to much trouble could you please untie me"

Peter turned around and smiled, he couldn't believe he allowed himself to forget about Wendy even if it was just for a moment. He made his way over to her and with his dagger began cutting her ropes. As soon as Wendy was untied she quickly threw her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. She was so relived that Peter was at least alive, she tried to be as soft as she could especially given all the wounds he had sustained. Peter did his best to hug Wendy back, but this fight had actually managed to make him quite a bit exhausted. Another thing that didn't help matters was that Peter had been sleeping when Crutch approached him in the shelter, as of right now he could sleep for a week.

Wendy took a moment to look at Peter, he had been completely beaten up, much worse then on the Jolly Roger. Peter managed to give her a reassuring smile, telling her that for the most part, he was all right. Peter then reached into his pocket, "I have something for you" he said pulling out Wendy's kiss. Wendy smiled at him, but before she could take it Peter quickly pulled her into a real kiss. Wendy was completely caught in the moment as she happily kissed him back, despite everything that had happened they both finally managed to be in perfect bliss.

When the kiss was done, Wendy just looked up and smiled, "oh the cleverness of you" she told him happily. Peter responded with his typical shrug and then give her a shy smile of his own. "Wendy I want you to know that I" Peter began to say, but there moment would quickly be broken with the sound of a gunshot in the air. Peter and Wendy turned to see Weasel standing in the entrance of the warehouse pointing his gun right at them.

Though Weasel had initially gone back to the club he then changed his mind, deciding that someone had to back those boys up should they fail. Just like Boots Weasel didn't trust anyone especially those boys to not screw things up, they were street punks after all. He had arrived right in the middle of the fight and had been hiding outside and now he had both Peter and Wendy right at his mercy.

"Very impressive" Weasel said with a smile "you certainly are not one to be crossed"

Weasel then pointed his gun right at Peter's head, Peter being the fighter was at the moment the most dangerous of the two and Weasel wanted to be safe. "First I will deal with you and then I'll take care of your little girlfriend" Weasel said pulling the handle on the back of the gun, loading the chamber as a result.

Wendy just looked at Peter completely scared. Peter did his best to maintain his composure, if he was going to go he was not going to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing him look afraid. Though unlike with Hook, Peter did not have a smile more like a look of courage, or as much courage as he could muster given his situation. But before Weasel could even give off a shot he heard a voice from behind him.

"Don't you dare harm those children"

Weasel turned around and was quickly punched hard in the face and was knocked out cold. Peter and Wendy looked up to see George shaking his now sore hand. Crutch was standing right next to him, he had gone to the Darling residence and knocked loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood. George had been in the back of the house going through the latest bills when he heard him. Crutch had thought about going to the police but given the situation he thought George might be a bit more inclined to listen to him. When George was told what was happening and even checked Wendy's bedroom to find her gone, he to considered going to the police, but Crutch told him they had to be urgent.

"Nice Punch Mr. Darling" Crutch said smiling up at George

"Yes I suppose it was" George said also feeling a bit proud of himself as most people tended to think of George Darling as a fairly meek person.

Wendy quickly ran to her father and jumped into her arms, George quickly embraced his daughter relived that nothing had happened to her. Meanwhile Crutch went over to Peter who was leaning up against the wall breathing a bit hard. He stood next to friend and gave him a tap on the shoulder hoping that Peter was at least well enough to acknowledge his presence.

"You all right mate?" Crutch asked

Peter turned to Crutch and gave him a little smile, "I'll live"

Peter then looked over at George and Wendy and gave them a big smile. He couldn't help but at least be happy for them, especially for George as he cared for Wendy just as much as he did and now everyone knew it. "First I give her mother back to her and then I give her back to them, it has been a busy night" Peter thought to himself. And for the most part he was actually happy that it was over.

Unfortunately no one had noticed that Boots had managed to wake up and picking up a knife from the ground had sneaked around behind several crates in the warehouse. Boots, full of rage, was not about to let anyone get the best of him. They may have won the battle but Boots was going to make sure that even victory had its price. He then looked at Wendy and this time he had his sights aimed right at her and her father, Boots then quickly lunged out trying to stab Wendy in the back. Peter saw him and without much thought except to protect his Wendy jumped in front of Boots. Boots's knife then went right into Peter's stomach, he looked at Peter in shock, Peter simply smiled before punching Boots in the face knocking him out cold.

Peter then managed to take a couple of steps before finally collapsing on the floor. Everyone looked at the sight in complete shock, Wendy finally reacted quickly coming to Peter's side. As Peter looked up at her, he could see the tears coming out of her eyes as she was frantically screaming his name, it was the last thing he saw before finally blacking out.

To Be Continued

Note: Don't worry I'm not gonna kill Peter, I just like my suspenseful moments :) Especially when I can write them into cute and fluffy moments as the next and final chapter will consist of. And don't worry he will be saying the magic words.


	18. Final Chapter

Final Chapter

Note: Sorry it took so long to update, I've had a rather busy week.

The police had arrested Weasel and all the boys and it did not take long for them to all to start turning on each other. Boots the most having outright blamed Weasel for everything. Though Weasel received the most punishment, all the boys found themselves in prison. Boots landed in jail until he was finally grown up (if he was lucky enough). Upon sentencing he just simply smirked to himself, he had learned everything he needed to one day build his own empire and everyone did call America the land of opportunity.

With everything out in the open Nibs was finally released and Richard Smith owned The Darlings a debt for helping to bring his son real killers to justice. He pretty much told George that anything he wanted he could have, all he had to do was ask. George being the good natured man he was decided to help out Crutch and his family. With the help they received Crutch's mother finally got a better job and enough money so that her children could go to school.

Of course things were only helped by the fact that Mary's illness was completely gone. The doctors could not explain it, she had just miraculously gotten better almost like she was never even sick. Of course Mary knew that her life had been saved by the last person she excepted, a magical boy who had once hated adults. As soon as Nibs was bought back home he gave his adopted mother a big hug and of course hugged all his adopted siblings.

But all the joyfulness was still overshadowed by the fact that the hero of this story was fighting for his life. George rushed Peter to the hospital as soon as he had been stabbed by Boots. The doctors managed to carefully pull the knife out and heal as many of the wounds as they could. The knife itself did not seem like that bad of a wound, Peter was actually very lucky. But mixed in with all the other wounds he had sustained during the fight and the fact that his body wasn't as strong as a man didn't help matters. Peter had taken quite a bit punishment, though on the streets it was quite common, boys would beat each other the death all the time. But the doctors had no real way of telling whether or not Peter Pan would in fact live or die.

The doctors had done all they could for the boy and Mary wanted to bring back Peter back home, despite his unconscious state. George was reluctant at first especially since he knew where this was going to lead, adopting yet another one. But George couldn't give to much argument for Peter had literally kept his family together. And of course for Wendy she wanted to be as close to Peter as she could be.

In Neverland, Wendy believed that she had fallen in love with an image of Peter Pan, an image that Peter himself presented. But thanks largely to Hook she believed that the image was false and Peter had been something that could not love Wendy back. Even after Wendy learned that Peter could feel she still did not think that he was what she really wanted him to be. But believed that he could be if he grew up. But now Wendy had learned (perhaps to late) Peter was what she envisioned him to be, maybe even more. Maybe he was not that in Neverland, but he had become that in London and it broke Wendy's heart all that much more to have to see him laying there. She would spend as time as she could sitting by his bed, often holding his hand, looking for any sign that he would wake up.

As of right now Wendy did not want to be with anyone else other then Peter. After everything that Peter had given to her, Nibs, Mary, there was so much Wendy wanted to give him. She wanted to face the adventure of growing up with him, to have a family with him, to be happy with him. Mary had told Wendy about what had happened between her and Peter, she even told her that somehow Peter had lost his mother. Though the details were far from clear it was enough to help Wendy understood Peter just a little bit more. Why he was scared to get close and why he didn't want to be left alone. It made Wendy love Peter all the more since he was willing to face the scars of his past to be with her, she couldn't stand the thought of losing him now.

All the boys would often come to check up on there fallen leader. For many of them it would be the first time they got to see him since he bought them all back to London. For many of them it was strange to see Peter in the state he was in, they had always marveled Peter Pan, they often forgot that Peter was just as human as them. It was not only strange to see him covered in bruises, but to see having aged as he had become slightly older then the last time they saw him. They would often talk to him about what they had been up to since they had come back, about what it was like to have real parents. While Wendy would often tell Peter's stories, Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, she even told him his own story.

While Peter couldn't respond to Wendy he was able to hear her. He had heard all the boys, he even heard George and Mary, but Wendy was the voice that gave him the most comfort. He often thought about Wendy as he slept, her voice, her beauty, her smile, her kindness. She had been everything that he had been looking for in his life, someone that was there for him when he needed her. And yet he had coldly pushed her away still scared by his past, something he had regretted ever since. He was willing to face his fears for her, just like he had once been willing to face them for his mother. Peter did more then just want love, he needed it, but there was still a question that stuck in the back of his head. Did he really need to grow up?

But who was Peter kidding, he knew that Wendy would not go back to Neverland and her family would not give her up. Nor would he honestly want her to, he never wanted to even lose his own family. And even if the adults weren't perfect, Mary and George were the best of them. George had even saved his life, at least long enough so that he could then save Wendy's life. Peter had truly fallen for that girl, he loved everything about her, to him she was his Neverland.

Of course Wendy's true power and the power of love was about to show itself and not just for Peter. Peter situation had only been made worse by the fact that he had been often been plagued by nightmares involving his mother. Nightmares that were so vivid that it often made him cry in his sleep, all Peter could often hope for was that he would have a dreamless sleep. Now he had been a complete victim of his nightmares and there was no escape. On one such night Peter could feel someone crawling into the bed next to him and wrapping there soft arms around him pulling him close in an attempt to comfort him.

Wendy couldn't sleep and decided to sit next to Peter when he started violently crying in his sleep. While on the one hand Wendy took it as a good sign that Peter would be all right, she knew that Peter must have been having a nightmare. From the tears themselves Wendy had to wonder if they weren't about his mother. She decided to do for him what she thought no one had ever done; she crawled into the bed next to him and wrapped her arms around him, comforting him as much as she could. After kissing him on the forehead she then started to drift to sleep herself and Peter had stopped crying as a slight smile crept on his face.

Tink had been watching from the window and there was no more doubt that Peter was truly lost to her and Neverland. But Tink had known that Peter had lost his mother a long time ago, though it had been the fairy queen who told her and not Peter himself. Tink had seen Peter cry in his sleep many a time due to his nightmares and this was the first time Peter's tears had been stopped by something other then waking up. Tink hated to admit it but Peter belonged with Wendy, for Wendy could do for him what no one else could do. While Tink loved Peter as did Solomon as well, neither of them had the power to show Peter any affection, for he was a human child. Peter needed affection and he needed to get it from another human, a girl, a Wendy. Neverland would always be there for other children, but Peter's time and had come and gone. But Tink was still going to do one last thing for him. She still had some healing powder left from when Peter healed Mary, it was not much, but it would heal Peter. Tink opened the window and being as silent as she could she sprayed Peter with the last of the healing powder.

Wendy woke up having heard the sounds of tinkling of bells that was the fairy language. She saw Tink as she sprayed Peter with the healing powder, she was not alarmed as she remembered that Peter had healed her mother the same why. She also did not believe that Tink would do anything to really hurt Peter. Though fairies were far from perfect Wendy believed that Tink cared for Peter just as much as she did.

Just as Tink was about to leave she heard Wendy softly calling her to, she turned around to see Wendy sitting on the bed and smiling. "Thank you Tink" Wendy said with a smile, Tink smiled and nodded at her. Then flew out the window back to Neverland. Just as Wendy was watching Tinkerbell go, she turned around when she heard the sound of Peter groaning next to her.

"Wendy" Peter said as he slowly started to open his eyes his head hurting and his body aching

Wendy lay down beside him and softly touched the side of his face with the back of her hand. "I am here Peter" she told him with a smile "I am not going anywhere"

Peter absorbed Wendy's touch, it was rather soothing, especially considering all the soreness he was filling all over his body. "Thank you for staying with me" Peter told her with a smile

"Well you did save my life, you did more then that, you saved my family" Wendy said smiling back, she also wondered if she should bring up the subject of Peter's mother. The fact that Peter told Mary that he had lost his mother when he saved her life told Wendy he wanted to open up.

Peter could tell that Wendy was speaking about Mary. He had no idea whether or not Mary had mentioned to her about Peter's little slip involving his mother. It was strange but ever since leaving Neverland Peter's memory had actually been pretty good, it was almost photographic. While he was not able to recover memories that were lost while he was in Neverland, he could pretty much remember everything that happened since he left.

Peter had never wanted to tell anyone about what had happened with his mother. Not only because of how sad it made him, but also because he was afraid that everyone would see him as being less then. He was Peter Pan the boy who never wanted to grow up, not Peter Pan the boy wanted to grow up but was never allowed to go back home. He always felt that the boys would look down upon him for having wanted to return to his mother, ironic how fast they were to leave as soon as they got promised one. But with Wendy it was different, he felt like he could tell her anything about himself and not be judged. Mostly because he saw a piece of himself in her, she was what he secretly wanted to be, it was only tragic fate that separated them. But at the same time it was that tragic fate that bought them together, Peter decided to tell her the truth.

"I know what it is like to lose your mother" Peter said climbing out of the bed. He put on his wife beater which still had all the holes made from the all the times Mouse slashed him and when Boots stabbed him. He then sat on the floor right up against the wall and looked at Wendy sadly

Wendy sat up on the bed looking at Peter curiously. She could tell that Peter was hurting and she did not want him to hurt, but she thought it was worse for him to keep it all inside.

"You were right when you said it was my greatest pretend." Peter said gulping "I...I tried to go home" Peter said looking up at Wendy

Peter could see the sympathetic look on Wendy's face, it gave him the courage to keep on going. "I got home and I found they had forgotten me"

"What do you mean they forgot you?" Wendy asked

Tears were starting to well up in Peter's eyes as he remembered what happened that night. No one had really seen him like this, not since Solomon, though Hook had managed to briefly bring this side of him to the surface. But he had started and he could not just stop now. "When I got back to my window, it was barred and they had another son to love"

"But Peter that does not mean they forgot you" Wendy said, though she herself had considered that if she could forget her parents, that maybe they could forget her.

"I tried to get back in Wendy, I cried to be let in, I even banged on the window" Peter finally said losing control of his emotions "why could they not just forgive me, why!" Peter then buried his head in between his legs and started crying uncontrollably.

Wendy's heart sank in that moment, she quickly climbed off the bed and rushed to Peter pulling him into a hug. She couldn't blame him for wanting to pretend, home should always be a place where you can be safe and loved. And Wendy could tell that Peter loved his parents, and they were not there when he needed them the most. "What kind of parent does that to their child?" Wendy thought to herself as she held Peter in her arms. Peter was not perfect, no child was, even Wendy herself was far from perfect. But anyone who was willing to give up there dreams for love deserved to be forgiven for their mistakes.

Peter probably would have sobbed a lot longer then he actually did. But just being in Wendy's arms was enough to make him feel better, whether he was asleep or awake. Wendy made him feel like there was nothing that could hurt him, that no matter what happened or had happened everything was going to all right. "I suppose this is what it means to be in love" Peter thought to himself "I suppose this is the power that love has" and it was unlike anything that Peter had felt or seen before.

"Wendy" Peter said finally pulling away from her to look into her eyes. "I love you" he said with complete honesty. "And I am so sorry for everything, I had no right to take my anger out on you"

Wendy touched the side of his face with her soft hand, giving Peter a look of complete affection. "I love you to and I forgive you" she said smiling "And I am so sorry that your parents would not"

"I am never going to be like them Wendy, I will never put my children through anything like that"

Wendy could not help but smile at his statement. Peter had just learned an important lesson about growing up, one that she herself never considered till right now. Growing up bought new joys for many, but for others it also brings redemption. The mistakes of childhood could be fixed through adulthood, through one's own children. Wendy was sure more then ever that Peter Pan was the one she was meant to be with. If anyone was going to make sure their child was going to be safe and loved it was going to be him, for he knew that pain all to well. Wendy was sure that Peter would never let their children know all the pain he knew, the pain of being alone and unloved. The pain of not knowing if love was something that could be trusted, love was not perfect, but no one should give up on it. Peter Pan might be a sad story, but even a sad story can find a happy ending.

Wendy then slowly started to kiss Peter and he kissed her back, it was the most bittersweet kiss she ever had. She then sat right next to him and wrapped herself around him. Peter responded by gently putting his arm around her, allowing her to lean into him so more. The scars of the past may still be there, but Peter felt for the first time that maybe he could be healed. The two sat there just content on being who they were for the moment, children on the verge of adulthood, discovering its joys and happiness.

Some time later everyone was in Kensington Gardens just having a good time, finally having reunited with old friends and having made new ones as well. The boys finally got to meet Crutch and his siblings, everyone thought that he would have made a fine lost boy. And with his bad leg he would have been the perfect bait for a good trap for Hook and his crew. Crutch's younger twin sisters and little brother all had a ball playing tag with all the boys, the two sets of twins even joined forces to catch everyone else.

While everyone else had fun, Peter had taken Wendy on a tour of the gardens. He showed her the old tree where Solomon made his home and where Peter would often spend much time to be with his friend. Though Solomon was more then just a friend, he was the closet thing to a father that Peter ever had when he was young. Of course it was nice to have George and Mary, they may not have been his parents, but if Peter was going to base his adult life on someone George was not a bad start. And deep down Peter knew that Solomon would approve. Little did Peter know it but a family of crows had been watching Peter ever since he first came back and trailed him every time he came to the gardens. This family had heard the stories of Peter Pan going all the way back to there great great grandfather who had actually known the boy. Of course they would often talk amongst themselves, telling each other how proud their ancestor would be to see this moment.

Peter and Wendy sat under Solomon's tree, and finally giving in to the urges they had for each other. Urges they had to suppress especially around George and Millicent, they then started to kiss. Of course there kissing was interrupted by something that was actually making Peter think that the real problem with growing up was that it took to long.

"Peter and Wendy sitting in a tree, k-i-ss-ing"

Peter and Wendy looked up to see Slightly, Curly and Tootles all chanting and it had not been the first time. The boys had been at this for quite some time, when they were in Neverland they would never have done something like this to Peter. Mostly because they knew that if they did Peter would likely react by beating them up. But since Peter promised everyone he would try and control his anger, they thought they had the chance to do everything they could never do in Neverland.

Peter had an annoyed look on his face, he really was starting to get tired of all the teasing. Wendy just nudge him on the shoulder reminding him that he had to be a gentleman and not react in anger. And she knew that Peter had been doing his best, he actually had been doing quite a good job. But the boys were not making things easy for him. Wendy then started to wonder if there was someplace that accelerated growing up.

Wendy just pulled Peter back to her and the two went back to their kissing session, something which only amused the boys.

"I think they are trying to ignore us chaps" Slightly said

"Maybe we should just leave them alone" said Tootles who was the most good natured among the lost boys. Of course Slightly was about to prove why he was the one who was Peter 2nd in command. And it was not only because of the nickname he had once chosen for himself, that referred to him being Slightly mad. Slightly then picked up a small rock and aimed it right at Peter

"This ought to get his attention" he said throwing it and hitting Peter on the head

"Ow" Peter screamed. He turned to look at the other boys who were all laughing hard and really had the urge to beat the snot out of all of them. Wendy just once again touched his arm, he turned around to see her with a reassuring smile, "let a lady handle this" she said getting up

Wendy nicely and calmly approached the three boys, and she spoke in her softest most sweetest voice. "Boys do you believe that it is nice to throw rocks at someone"

"We are just having fun" Curly said

"I can see that" Wendy said "But you see Peter just happens to be my boyfriend and well" Wendy said her voice starting to turn a little more harsher "a lady does not like it when you throw rocks at her boyfriend"

"Hey we can have fun" Slightly said "besides Peter promised not to hurt us"

"Yes Peter promised" Wendy said her voice turning even more harsher "I did not"

The sound of her voice actually sent shivers down the spine of all three boys. They had no idea that Wendy had the ability to be that scary and they were not going to take it lightly.

"Let's go play with the others" Slightly said sheepishly, Tootles and Curly nodded there heads in agreement and the 3 boys ran away to join the others in there various games.

Peter watched the whole thing with a big smile, "that's my girl" he thought to himself. Wendy really was a great girl, and Peter was lucky that he was able to catch her. He could not think of anyone else he would want to grow up with. Maybe that was the point of living, to find people to be happy with, no matter who they are. He may have lost his family a long time ago, but as far as he was concerned, he had his Wendy and he had his friend and maybe that was really all the family he needed.

Wendy sat down next to her betwixt and between. It was once the name that Solomon had given Peter for not being a bird, but being able to fly. She had adopted it herself as her pet name for Peter, while he of course called her his Wendy lady. Why not, he was not a bird but he could fly, every time they were together it was like making magic. Even more magic then Neverland had the power to give them, life was beautiful and Wendy was happy that she was the one to show Peter all it had to offer.

"Did I mention how much I love you Wendy lady" Peter said, this time with a bit of cocky glimmer to him.

"Yes" Wendy said smiling triumphantly "and I love you to my betwixt and between"

after a brief kiss the two sat together for some time until Crutch came by asking for a request.

"So my siblings want to hear stories about Neverland, especially the one where you cut off the hand of Captain Hook" he had been rather dubious about the whole Neverland thing, but his siblings all liked it and wanted to hear more.

Peter sighed, those boys could be such blockheads at times. He should have known they would spill something about Neverland. But why not, he always wanted to hear stories about himself, and who better to tell a story about Peter Pan, then Peter Pan. He then turned to Wendy looking for any sign of disapproval, but he could not find one. "You know it might be good to get practice in telling stories, after all I cannot tell all the stories to our children." Wendy told him smiling. That was all that Peter needed and he got up with Wendy and went to everyone who was gathered up in a big circle all waiting to hear the story of Peter Pan and his adventures in Neverland. Even the crows had gathered up on a near by tree branch, also interested in hearing all about Peter's time in the magical land.

"This stories has many things" Peter said "It has sadness, tragedy, adventure and love" he looked back at Wendy who stood behind him and smiled, she returned the smile with one of her own. Wendy was ready to give him any help that might be needed. And she was sure he would need some, she was still the great story teller after all.

Peter with his old cocky grin began his story "So once upon a time, there was a boy who never wanted to grow up, a boy named Peter Pan."

The End

End Note: Wow this ended up being the longest ending I have ever done for a story. It was also the hardest one to write as I had so many ideas on how I was going to end things. I would like to give a special thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially to kasmira36 who really was a big help in writing this story:) I hope to see more of your reviews in the future.


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